Shadows & Sunshine
by Black666Hunter
Summary: Losing a loved one forces us to change, whether we realise it or not. Aloysius has lost too much now. First his wife and baby, now his best friend. He must change...but will anyone recognise the new man he will become? Come along on the journey and watch as Aloysius rises to a new challenge. Rated T for violence, language and very mild slash. Warning: Contains Character Death.
1. Saying Goodbye

'It wasn't supposed to be like this. I swore I'd protect you, I gave you my word that I would keep you safe and I couldn't. I'm sorry buddy, I'm so sorry. It was never meant to end like this, you deserved so much better. Just hold on, don't you give up on me buddy. Please, just hang on a little longer.'

Practically bent double under the weight, Aloysius retreated to a warehouse they'd passed earlier, firing randomly at the group still tracking them. The first two doors he tried were locked but the third one thankfully opened when he tried the handle. Firing another shot towards their pursuers, Aloysius holstered his pistol and ducked into the warehouse.

Digging deep for strength, he found a suitable hiding place between two wooden crates and gently eased Rufus to the dirty floor, kneeling beside him and trying desperately to stop the bleeding. He knew it was bad, he could feel the large pool that had been soaked into his shirt and there was still more staining Rufus' gear.

'Aloysius?' Rufus uttered, fighting so hard for every breath as he gazed at his old friend.

'I'm here, buddy. I'm right here.' Aloysius replied, tightening his grip and doing all he could to make Rufus comfortable. 'Hang in there Rufus; it's going to be okay.'

'Not this time…so cold.' Rufus corrected, trying to get closer to Aloysius.

'No, don't say that Rufus. Come on, you can't give up.' Aloysius coaxed, shifting to sit and drawing Rufus in closer. 'Hold on, just hold on Rufus.'

'I can't.' Rufus gasped, summoning his strength to reach up and drape one arm over Aloysius' shoulders. 'I want to but…'

'Shh, save your strength Rufus.' Aloysius soothed, trying to be strong when all he wanted to do was fall apart. 'I can't do this; you're all I've got.'

Managing a tired smile, Rufus relaxed into the welcoming arms of his best friend, grateful that he wasn't alone at this painful time. But even as he battled to stay with his friend for just one more minute, Rufus worried for the future. Ever since they met, he'd been the one to keep Aloysius grounded and out of trouble as much as possible. With his passing, Rufus didn't know who would watch over Aloysius now.

'Aloysius, listen to me for a minute.' Rufus whispered, ignoring the blood spilling past his lips.

'Save your strength, Rufus.' Aloysius sighed, digging out his handkerchief and dabbing at Rufus' lips. 'There will be time to talk later.'

'No, listen now.' Rufus insisted, coughing up another mouthful of blood. 'Listen, I don't have much time left.'

'Alright, I'm listening.' Aloysius nodded, drawing Rufus closer and trying to be strong for him.

Taking a few moments to try and catch his breath, Rufus looked up at Aloysius sadly, hating to say goodbye like this but he wasn't a fool. He wasn't going to be around much longer and he needed to know Aloysius would be safe before he was ready to leave.

'As much as we…both wish things…were different…we know the…truth. I'm sorry…to leave you…you've been so…good to me…always. Before I…die, promise me…just one thing.' Rufus uttered; each word harder than the last but he had to do this, he had to know.

'Anything buddy, anything at all. Just don't leave me yet.' Aloysius nodded, rocking slowly as he clung to Rufus, not ready to say goodbye.

'Promise me you'll…stay safe when…I'm gone.' Rufus whispered, managing to get his fingers latched onto Aloysius' shirt. 'Promise you'll…find another…anchor. I need…to know you'll…be safe when…I'm gone.'

'I don't have anyone else.' Aloysius choked, wiping away the still falling blood and cursing his weakness when he had to be the anchor for his best friend. 'It's always been just us.'

'You do have…others that will…give you a place.' Rufus corrected, dark eyes closing slowly.

'Rufus, open your eyes. You can't leave me yet, you have to hold on.' Aloysius coaxed, his world falling apart and he didn't know what to do.

'You have…Captain Schofield…I know he…will take…good care…of you.' Rufus nodded faintly, barely hanging in there. 'Mother cares…you know…she does.'

'They aren't you, Rufus. They don't know me like you do.' Aloysius uttered, knowing Rufus was right but it hurt so much to admit it.

'I know…but they…will keep you…as I have…Live in my…memory…always.' Rufus agreed, eyes slowly opening again. 'You are…strong. I know…you will…get up…again.'

'I will Rufus, I promise. Every day will be in your memory. I'll find my feet again, I swear I will.' Aloysius nodded, stroking his cheek softly. 'I'll miss you, so much.'

Choking on his own blood, Rufus summoned another smile. He had trust enough in Aloysius to know he would do as he'd promised, no matter how much it hurt. He would be safe now, no matter what happened. He'd given his word and that was enough.

'I'm sorry things had to end like this, Rufus. I'm sorry I wasn't a better friend. I'm sorry I couldn't keep you safe. I'm sorry I didn't give you everything you deserved.' Aloysius uttered, tears slipping out from behind his glasses. 'I'm sorry for everything I did wrong.'

'I forgive…you. I could…never have…asked for…a better…friend. You did…keep me…safe…you are…not to…blame for…this. You…gave me…more than…I deserved.' Rufus replied, the world slowly darkening around him but still he fought. 'You…taught…me to…love.'

'Those words are a promise I will keep until I go to my own grave.' Aloysius nodded, not sure who he was comforting more with that promise. 'I am your man, whatever you need of me I will be right here for you and you alone. Nothing shall ever be more important in my life than your continuing happiness, comfort and peace.'

Tears falling for shattered hearts and dreams, Rufus found one last ounce of strength and lifted his head from Aloysius' shoulder, wanting just one more glimpse of the one he cared so much about. He felt safe like this, resting in Aloysius' lap and secure in his embrace. One arm curled around his back, the other supporting his head, it was so easy to just relax and let the pain fade as his life soaked into his uniform.

'I'll never forget you, Rufus. You will always have that special place in my heart. I can take comfort in knowing that wherever I go, you'll be watching over me from above.' Aloysius whispered, looking down at Rufus with a shaky smile.

'I…love…you…Aloysius.' Rufus mumbled, barely able to focus on Aloysius anymore.

'I love you too, Rufus.' Aloysius replied, leaning in to catch one last, blood tainted kiss.

Watching the light fade from rich brown eyes that always seemed to be laughing, Aloysius wept quietly, barely noticing the blood on his lips as he held onto the one constant presence from the last 10 years. Feeling each breath and trying to offer whatever comfort he could, he made absolutely sure Rufus would leave this world knowing that he was truly someone special. It hurt to watch him suffer but Aloysius couldn't force the issue, he wanted every moment he could have with Rufus. One final whispering breath and Rufus went limp, sightless eyes gazing up at the ceiling.

Forgetting all about the threats outside and the promises made as his grief welled up in his chest, Aloysius screamed to the heavens, the air shaking with his pain and anguish as he held the still body and wished he could take it all back. He would have given anything to have Rufus back, but there was no rewind button, no chance for a happy ending now. All he could do was say his goodbyes and give Rufus the very best memorial possible.

~#~#~#~#~#~

It probably wasn't healthy but Aloysius went two days without sleep, doing everything he could to ensure Rufus would have a place worthy of his name and deeds. He bent a lot of rules and paid a lot of people to look the other way but the final honour came without personal cost or under the table deals. All it took was the mention of his name and past service and the final barrier was removed. Aloysius had a week to get them both across the country for the funeral; the next available flight wasn't for a couple of days so he had some time to burn.

He didn't need to worry about uniforms, another call to a government contact and everything he needed was secured and would be ready for the funeral. Aloysius didn't exactly like the idea of getting back into a uniform for any reason but for Rufus, he would endure any discomfort and hold his head high.

But before he thought about the flight and the final goodbye, Aloysius had something else to do. Armed with some rough ideas and a good sized wad of cash, he found a reputable business and booked them out for a few hours. He'd gotten a few shocked questions but he'd simply explained that he had several designs he wanted done and only limited time before he had to fly out. That seemed to satisfy the receptionist but it was still a very strange request.

His old Brandeis tattoo was gone, hidden under a simple dark green tribal design. The angry eagle still stood out against his weathered skin and the sleep with one eye open still meant something but now instead of being focused towards one man, it was aimed at anyone who had ever wronged him. But now he planned to turn his skin into the greatest tribute to a fallen friend, he was going to live each day in Rufus' memory and he was going to make sure the world knew of the brilliant pilot killed far too soon.

Settled on the tattooing bench, Aloysius let the pain wash over him as three tattooists got to work. The best man in the parlour had the hard one, working on the full back piece Aloysius had mocked up with photos and sketches. The other two were focused on their own designs, one down by his right knee and the other was starting on the design planned for his left calf.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Aloysius was definitely hurting as he boarded the plane that would take them back across the country. Over the last two days, he'd undergone a serious tattoo blitz, putting in some major hours to complete the tribute to a treasured friend and a wonder of a pilot. It was done now, six new tattoos turned his scarred skin into the greatest honour to his fallen friend.

Accepting condolences from the flight attendants and even getting a chance to shake the Captain's hand, Aloysius was guided forward to First Class and quickly settled in his seat, flinching when his back came into contact with the soft upholstery. The pain of leaning against fresh tattoos was nothing compared to the emotional distress Knight was still trying to handle.

'I'm trying Rufus but I ever thought this would be our fate.' Aloysius whispered; hanging his head as his mind drifted to the flag draped casket waiting so patiently in the hold.

Lifting his head when someone lightly touched his shoulder, Aloysius found a smile for the young woman with a little girl holding her hand. The woman was pretty in the woman next door way, wearing comfortable black slacks and a red sweater with her blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. The little girl looked so sweet in her blue dress, white stockings and black shoes, blonde curls bouncing merrily as she looked up at the woman.

'Are you the man escorting the fallen soldier home?' the woman asked; such kindness in her green eyes as she smiled.

'I am, Ma'am.' Aloysius nodded, wary of giving away too much information. 'Lieutenant McKenzie was a brave man, I feel honoured to have known him.'

'When you next see your friend, would you give him something from me, please?' the little girl asked, stepping forward shyly.

'Of course, sweetie.' Aloysius replied, moving to kneel in front of the little girl.

Letting go of her mother, the little girl moved to stand in front of Aloysius, reaching out to place a small white teddy bear in his hands. The teddy really was cute with his little red and blue pants and vest. But Aloysius wasn't sure about taking the toy; it was clearly something that meant a lot to this little girl.

'Are you sure about this, sweetie? It looks like you love this bear very much.' Aloysius asked, straightening the little striped vest quickly.

'I want your friend to have it.' she nodded, resting her hands against Aloysius' lightly. 'my daddy gave it to me when he went away, now that he's back he said I should find someone else who looked sad and give it to them.'

'Thank you. I'm sure my friend will really like this.' Aloysius nodded, looking at the little bear.

'I hope he does.' she replied, looking up at Aloysius with a smile. 'Can I give you a hug?'

'If your mother says it's okay.' Aloysius shrugged, carefully tucking the small bear into his jacket pocket where it would be safe.

'One quick hug, Melanie and then we must get back to our seats for take off.' the woman nodded, looking down at her daughter proudly.

Finding it so hard to complain about the pain as little Melanie wrapped her arms around his neck, Aloysius smiled and held her close, humbled by the innocent love of a little girl who didn't know anything abut him. It really was something precious to be faced with pure innocence and know that she didn't care what he'd done; she was only trying to make him feel better.

'Tell your daddy thank you for the bear. A brave soldier won't have to be alone anymore because of you.' Aloysius grinned, releasing the little girl slowly.

'I will.' Melanie promised, darting back to her mother.

'You have a wonderful little girl, Ma'am.' Aloysius added, offering his hand to the woman. 'She's the reason we fight, so dear children can grow up free and safe.'

'It's a shame my husband will never get to meet you, I think he would have liked you.' she replied, shaking his hand. 'Like you, I know the pain of escorting a soldier home.'

'I'm sorry for you loss, Ma'am.' Aloysius offered, recalling a mention of two caskets on the flight.

'Thank you good sir. My condolences on the loss of your friend as well.' she nodded, her smile a little shaky but at least she tried. 'Damn this war, so many good men are dying over there.'

'And the burden falls to those left behind to get up and carry their names forward.' Aloysius sighed, resting one hand on her shoulder lightly. 'It's not going to be easy but remember that you have friends that care about you.'

'After the funeral, I'm going to be with his parents. They can't make it to Arlington.' she nodded, withdrawing slowly. 'Come on Melanie, let's go find our seats.'


	2. Arlington

Entering the room with a Lieutenant that had been tasked with keeping him on track and making sure the funeral plans went without a hitch, Aloysius approached the open casket and peered inside, just making sure everything was perfect. The prep team had done a perfect job, turning him from just another man into a veteran that his friends and family would remember proudly.

Aloysius had paid for a customised casket and all the accoutrements, wanting to be absolutely certain that he honoured not just his friend but the years of service he'd given their country. It was dark blue steel with gold trim and handles. The interior was done up in dark blue as well, the US Army emblem embroidered onto the inside of the lid and everything trimmed with gold to match.

Someone had taken the time to clean him up a bit more, cutting his hair back to regulation length and neatening up his beard so he looked presentable. Honestly, Aloysius couldn't remember Rufus ever looking this neat and polished. Dressed in a brand new uniform, his medals and ribbons arranged neatly on his chest, he was finally getting the respect he'd deserved in life. Pride of place, he wore his 160th SOAR insignia, a badge so few ever flew under and the one great highlight in his Army career.

Wrapped in an Army flag, gold fringing almost glowing against his dark uniform, someone had placed an un-scabbarded officer's sword in his gloved hands, right hand gripping the hilt and left hand resting atop his right. His hat sat below the crook of his left arm, propped up on his hip a little to make it stand out. Under the hat, shining leather catching the light, the scabbard of his sword had been placed as he'd worn his old one.

Struggling with his emotions all over again, Aloysius lifted the bag he'd brought along and set it beside the casket. Opening the bag, he first pulled out a small wreath made of electrical wires and small components he'd raided from one of their equipment caches. Ignoring the soldiers around him, Aloysius gently placed the hand woven wreath beside Rufus, tucking it in under his shoulder where it would be safe and hopefully people got the message that it was meant to be there.

'At least this way, your Raven will always be with you buddy. Not sure you'll need her but I don't know what else to do with her.' Aloysius uttered, swallowing the lump in his throat.

Reaching into the bag again, Aloysius lifted out the little teddy that he'd been given on the flight. Looking at it for a moment, he managed a weak grin as he tucked it into the casket as well, hiding it under the Army flag where no one would notice it. A promise was a promise and Aloysius couldn't fathom keeping the bear when he'd told little Melanie he'd give it to Rufus.

'A reminder from the innocents you protected, they will never know you but they'll know the freedom your sacrifice paid for.' Aloysius continued, delving deep for strength to finish what he'd planned to do.

Hand going to one of his pockets, Aloysius pulled out his old dogtags, scratched and scarred from their time together in the Army and afterwards. Running his thumb over the surface lightly, Aloysius swallowed and gently lifted Rufus' left hand, looping the chain through his fingers before setting Rufus' hand down and arranging the tags over the back of his left hand neatly.

'My word is my vow, buddy. Never to be parted, you watch over me and I'll guard your rest. Each day in your memory, no matter how much it hurts.' Aloysius promised, hanging his head sadly.

Looking down at the peaceful face of his friend, Aloysius couldn't help the tears that came. He'd done all he could for now, he's gotten Rufus this far and provided him with the finest casket and funeral he possibly could. Now it depended on the people that had been notified of the loss, if they all came, it would be a worthy ceremony but if they didn't make the trip, Aloysius could sleep knowing he'd done the best he could for his best friend.

'I can only hope this send off lives up to your dreams, buddy. I tried my hardest to make it like you told me you wanted but I don't know if I managed. I can only hope I make you proud with this send off, it's the best I could do with what was available. I'll miss you Rufus, you were the one I could always count on when times were tough.' Aloysius sighed, removing his hat and leaning in to rest their foreheads together again. 'Spread your wings, Alley Cat and be free.'

Putting his hat on again and collecting his bag, Aloysius turned sharply and left, trying to gather up the tattered remains of his dignity and courage as he strode from the room with measured steps. It stung to walk away but he wasn't needed now. Right now, he needed to be paying attention to the guests coming for the funeral, he had to be there for them and share his memories of the big man they all knew and loved in their own ways.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Showing his dedication to his best friend as only he could, Aloysius stood honour guard throughout the service, so glad he'd had a few hours to grieve and focus on what he needed to do. Ignoring the aches starting to develop up his legs and across his back, he stood his watch diligently, trying hard not to let it show that he was hurting.

There were tears enough from the extensive McKenzie family, so many people that Aloysius hadn't even known existed. Rufus had told him stories of his parents and what it was like growing up as the eldest of seven children but actually seeing his parents, siblings and extended family all sitting in the church, it was breathtaking. So many people, Aloysius wasn't sure he could handle talking to the huge family on his own, not about Rufus.

But in amongst all of the grieving family members, Aloysius saw a flicker of hope. He hadn't called them, for fear of his voice giving away his pain before he could say what needed to be said. Instead he'd sent Mother an email, detailing everything she would need to know. She'd come through for him, as only she knew how to. Squeezing onto a pew together, Schofield and his unit shot Aloysius supportive looks throughout the service, encouraging him to stand his place and hold it together until there was time to grieve openly. Aloysius didn't know who the muscular man sitting beside Mother was, he hadn't really looked into the rest of the team before, during or after the hunt that brought them together.

His self-imposed torture seemed to never end as the minister called for the family to come up and say their last goodbyes to the brave man they all knew. As much as he wanted to break position and offer one last promise to his best friend, Aloysius knew it wouldn't help; he didn't have the right to interfere right now. He just tightened up his grip, shifted his weight a little and stared resolutely forward, doing his best to make Rufus proud of him. This was his tribute; he needed no more words to honour his friend.

Dropping his gaze when a light hand rested on his arm, Aloysius came so close to losing his composure again as he gazed into the eyes of Elizabeth McKenzie, Rufus' mother. Short and dumpy, she offered him a sad little smile, deep brown eyes red from her tears as she looked up at him, almost as if she understood why he was doing this. Then she walked away, returning to her husband Richard as the procession continued.

Watching Schofield out the corner of his eye, Aloysius didn't realise Mother had come around on his other side until her hand came to rest on his lower back, right where the worst of the ache was building. Sheer strength of will kept him from moving and destroying the steadfast presence he was trying to portray.

'We need to talk later.' she uttered, hand still but she was pushing against his back lightly.

'After the internment.' Aloysius replied, still watching the procession of family and friends.

'Alright, I'll tell Scarecrow.' Mother nodded faintly, withdrawing her hand slowly. 'Hang in there.'

'I will.' Aloysius uttered, watching her walk away.

Finally the last people were seated again and the pallbearers came forward. Originally Elizabeth had wanted family to carry her fallen son out to the waiting hearse but Aloysius had patiently explained that wasn't what Rufus wanted. Elizabeth hadn't argued that, she left the funeral arrangements to Aloysius once he promised that he knew exactly what Rufus wanted for his final send off.

Leaving his place as the casket was closed and draped with the flag neatly, Aloysius waited for the pallbearers to get organised before leading them through the congregation towards the big double doors. What he saw at the door was a surprise though, it was completely unplanned but it was such a nice detail. Schofield's unit had formed their own honour guard, paying tribute to a fallen serviceman. Book II stood on the left, Mother on the right and Schofield stepped outside, for what reason Aloysius didn't know.

Stepping out into the sun, Aloysius couldn't believe what he was seeing. The 12-man Army honour guard that had been organised was there but beyond that, swords drawn and raised, a 12-man Marine honour guard team continued the lines leading towards the hearse. Making a mental note to really have a talk with Schofield later, Aloysius continued his slow walk as if nothing had changed.

Reaching the hearse and turning sharply, Aloysius came to attention and saluted, listening to the sorrow around him and trying so hard to hold on to his own grief until he was out from under all these watchful eyes. He couldn't do it anymore though. Standing there watching the family grieve, a lone tear slipped from behind his glasses, giving lie to the stoic face he was trying to present for them and for his best friend.

Lowering his hand as the hearse drove away; Aloysius sheathed his own sword and turned, finding Schofield waiting just behind him. Now wasn't the time though, their discussion about the mixed honour guard would have to wait. Listening to the sharp click of his footwear against the pavement, Aloysius approached Elizabeth and Richard, letting his shoulders fall as he released his tightly held control at last.

'You're the one that organised all of this, aren't you?' Elizabeth asked, dabbing at her eyes as she looked up at him.

'Yes, Ma'am. Captain Aloysius Knight, at your service.' Aloysius nodded, reaching out to rest one hand on her shoulder lightly. 'My deepest condolences on the loss of your son. He was truly a great man, I feel honoured to have known him for just these few short years.'

'We really do appreciate all you did for our son, Captain.' Richard added, drawing his wife in against his side.

'It's the least I could do, Sir. He was my best friend through everything.' Aloysius replied, managing a pitiful attempt at a smile at some of the memories.

'Rufus was lucky to have a friend like you, if this is the sort of thing you do for your friends.' a younger female offered, wiping her nose as she joined the small group. 'I'm Danielle McKenzie, the baby of the family.'

Even with her red eyes and formal Air Force uniform, Danielle was beautiful, her long brown hair done up in a low bun and her brown eyes shining with unshed tears. She looked far too much like Rufus for Aloysius to cope with and down came the flood again. At least he was quiet; his dignity couldn't take much more of this stress.

'You really did care about my brother, didn't you?' Danielle asked, resting her head on his shoulder as she hugged him tight.

'More than you know.' Aloysius nodded, returning the hug and letting the tears fall. 'I'd give anything to hear him laugh one more time when I do something stupid.'

'Did he still sing in the shower?' Danielle asked, lifting her head.

'Every morning. He was my surrogate alarm clock after I threw my last one at the wall.' Aloysius grinned, finding it a little easier to handle the pain as he remembered better moments.

Releasing Danielle and looking around as Rufus' immediate family as they surrounded him, Aloysius' smile faltered, they were all way too much like Rufus for him to handle right now. He could manage Elizabeth and Richard, they weren't as similar in looks to the big man but Danielle was so like him and now that he could see all Rufus' siblings up close, they were all the same.

'There you are, Captain Knight. Everyone is waiting for you to lead the procession after the hearse.' Mother called, using her bulk to squeeze into the circle.

'Thank you Gunnery Sergeant Newman.' Aloysius replied, turning his attention back to Elizabeth and Richard. 'It was a pleasure to meet you all, if not for these circumstances.'

'You as well, Captain.' Richard nodded, shaking his hand firmly. 'We can talk more later.'

Stepping out of the group beside Mother, Aloysius calmly wiped his cheeks with one gloved hand and breathed deep, trying once more to pick up his dignity and hide just how much it was hurting. He had to be strong, Rufus had asked him to be strong and live in his memory and so he would.

'You looked like you could use a rescue.' Mother remarked, leading him over to where Shane and Buck were waiting beside a black sedan.

'Thanks Mother. Yeah, I got stuck with Rufus' parents and siblings.' Aloysius nodded, lifting his chin and squaring his shoulders. 'Knew it would happen but damn, I wasn't ready for that pain.'

'Figured that was the case. Rufus would be so proud of you.' Mother replied, resting one hand on her sword to keep it tucked in close.

'Thanks for coming, Mother.' Aloysius offered, shooting her a weak grin. 'I wasn't sure I'd have the strength to get through all of this alone.'

'All you had to do is ask. Though why you didn't just call, I'll never know. I wouldn't have known except Ralphy was checking our emails and found it.' Mother sighed, indicating the short and stocky man that had been sitting beside her.

'Oh, so that's who he is.' Aloysius teased, feeling the weight lifting off his shoulders. 'Never met him before, I only know him by name.'

'We'll fix that later. Stop dodging the question.' Mother prompted, shooting him a warning look.

'I guess I didn't want you to realise how broken I was. Rufus was my best friend and my anchor, he kept me alive against the odds. Losing him…it still hurts with each breath.' Aloysius admitted, rolling his shoulders. 'I was able to call in an ancient favour to inform his parents, there was no way I could do that without falling apart.'

'I'm sorry for your loss, Aloysius. Rufus was an incredible man.' Shane offered, stepping forward to meet the pair.

'Thanks Shane.' Aloysius responded, accepting his handshake. 'Dare I ask why you brought along a Marine honour guard for him though?'

'Not my choice. Somehow the Base Commander found out about Rufus' funeral and ordered a Marine honour guard dispatched. Something about showing respect for the pilot that kept his best unit alive.' Shane shrugged, turning to where the two honour guard teams were boarding an Army bus. 'You might as well accept they're going to be around for this one.'

'I don't mind that as much as I thought I would.' Aloysius grinned, adjusting his tunic and flexing his fingers. 'I have a feeling the McKenzie family is never going to talk to me after this is all over.'

'What makes you think that?' Buck asked, opening the back door of the sedan and waiting for Shane to climb in.

'They don't realise it yet but all the next of kin honours go to me not them.' Aloysius shrugged, walking around to climb in the front.

'Yeah, I can see how that might annoy them.' Shane agreed, resting his sheathed sword between his knees as Mother and Buck climbed into the car.

'Alright Lieutenant, let's get this show on the road.' Aloysius directed, looking at the tall and lanky man behind the wheel.

'Yes Sir.' he replied, waiting for a few moments before pulling out and leading the procession towards the cemetery.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Following the caisson through the grand ceremony, Aloysius knew just how special today was and hoped that Rufus appreciated the effort. With his string pulling and name dropping, Aloysius had done what had never been done at Arlington as far as he knew. It was Sunday, usually Arlington funerals were only held Monday to Friday. Today was special and it showed but it also meant Rufus would get the very best attention, exactly as he deserved.

Stringing along behind the caisson, everything was going to plan again, the added Marines extending the line but otherwise they blended in nicely. Paying his own tribute to Rufus, Shane stayed in step beside Aloysius. Mother and Buck were somewhere up the back blending in with the rest of the Marine detachment.

This part of the ceremony was going to be short and straight to the point since the service had already been held. Aloysius knew this was when the fireworks were likely to start but he couldn't find the energy to care. Rufus had made the decision and there was nothing that anyone could do about it now. They just had to bite their tongues and accept the way things were going to be.

Reaching the nearest point to where Rufus was to be laid to rest, the caisson came to a stop and Aloysius moved out from behind it, Shane still at his shoulder as they stood to attention and waited for the casket to be lifted down. Turning in sync with the pallbearers, the pair slotted back in behind the casket, watching as the honour guards organised the rest of the gathering and guided them towards their seats.

Drawing courage from his friends as they lined up beside him, Aloysius refused his seat and stood tall, barely feeling the warm sun beating down on them as the casket was lowered onto the waiting rails and the flag straightened. The chaplain offered a few words before turning to look at Aloysius. Nodding slowly, Aloysius stepped up and turned to face the gathered mourners.

'Lieutenant Rufus McKenzie was my best friend. We met by chance on active service and from that first moment, we both knew that ours was a friendship that would last. Ten short years later and I find it so strange to stand here without him. He was my rock when it seemed that the world was against me and always there to lend a hand when I needed him. Wherever you are now, Rufus, I hope you're still watching over me as I pick up the pieces left behind with your passing. I'll never forget you, buddy, you were the best friend a man could ask for. You always lived by the motto of your unit, NightStalkers Don't Quit, and now that you're gone, I give you my word Rufus, I will continue to live by those words every day. I will never quit, I will live each day for you, my truest and dearest friend. And so he has selflessly devoted his life for the good of his fellow man. His task completed, his duties well done. Now we gather for his last sortie, he's going home. God speed Alley Cat, we'll never forget you.' Aloysius offered, wishing that he could say what he really wanted to say but now wasn't the time or the place for the true sentiments of his heart.

Returning to his place beside Shane, Aloysius couldn't help but notice the shining trails on all their faces. They'd been so stoic at the church but out here, where there could be no escape from the reality of saying goodbye for the last time, all three had choked up. Standing tall beside Shane, Aloysius ignored the weeping women on his other side and let his tears fall silently, easily ignoring his growing tension headache as the firing party released the first volley.

There was one thing that Aloysius thought would have been a nice touch but he'd decided against the fly over. Without the Raven it wouldn't be right and no one would ever fly that beautiful black fighter again. It would always be Rufus' bird and nothing would change that. This was the best that could be done and it was perfect without the tribute to Rufus' skills in the air.

Tears falling thick and fast as the volleys rang and then TAPS began to play, Aloysius watched the casket team, following the folds of the flag and praying that everything worked out like Rufus hoped it would. It all depended on who the Officer-in-Charge of the ceremony handed the folded flag to in the next few minutes.

The last fold completed, the Officer-in-Charge accepted the flag and turned to the mourners, noting the empty seat where Aloysius should have been sitting. Catching the eye of the older man, Aloysius made a faint gesture down by his side, signalling the man towards him. Catching the faint signal, the officer approached slowly, moving past the family to stop in front of him.

'On behalf of the President of the United States, The United States Army, and a grateful Nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one's honourable and faithful service.' he offered, holding out the flag at waist height with the long edge towards Aloysius.

Placing his left hand under the flag and resting his right on top, Aloysius brought the flag to his chest and crossed his arms over it, protecting the precious treasure from harm. He knew the family would argue but Rufus had left written instructions on the matter.

'Thank you, Sir.' Aloysius uttered, bowing his head as the senior officer saluted the flag before turning and walking away.

Lifting his head again when an older woman approached, Aloysius accepted the sympathy card she was holding out to him, managing a shaky smile for her as he glanced back towards the glistening blue casket. She was a kindly lady, offering support and help with anything that he required. Aloysius thanked her again and tucked the card safely in his pocket for later, he didn't have the strength to handle the card just yet.

Tensing up when someone grabbed his shoulder and tugged, Aloysius went with the turn, coming face to neck with Richard McKenzie. No real surprise that the older man was annoyed, he'd been expecting to be given the flag.

'Look, we can stand here and look like idiots but I've got better things to do and really, we're both confined by what Rufus wanted. He left this for you, just in case something like this happened.' Aloysius sighed, still cradling the flag protectively as he dug a neatly folded piece of paper from his pants pocket and handed it over. 'If you don't like it, I'm sorry but I swore I would follow his instructions and I have never broken a promise to Rufus.'

Walking away from the family as Richard opened the letter, Aloysius approached the grave and came to attention, or at least as close as he could while still holding the folded flag. He had so many roles to fill but he filled them all with pride, dignity and respect. His role as honour guard was done, his duties as next of kin were almost finished and now he took up his position as vigil until Rufus was interred safely.

He was a little annoyed when another man approached him, he just wanted to pay his respects as he'd promised and start towards picking up the remnants of his life. But when he saw the small wooden display case in the hand of the young Lieutenant, Aloysius nodded slowly. He knew what the little box was all about. Right hand pinning the flag to his chest, Aloysius reached out to accept the small box, three fresh bullet casings visible under the glass lid.

'Thank you. Please see that the rest of the casings are returned to me as well, my friend left instructions for them.' Aloysius requested, recalling Rufus' thoughts on the topic.

'Of course, Sir.' the Lieutenant replied, turning and walking back to his rifle squad.

The Lieutenant was soon back, the remaining 18 casings held in his hands. Clutching the boxed casings in his right hand, Aloysius tucked half the loose casings into his left pants pocket before switching hands and pocketing the rest smoothly. Readjusting his grip on the flag and boxed casings, Aloysius turned his gaze to the front again, game face on as he stood his vigil.

He wasn't alone though. Standing a respectable distance away, faces set and physically daring anyone to disturb Aloysius, Schofield and his team stood to attention with him. Silent and respectful, they understood why he was pushing so hard to make the day perfect and see that Rufus was given the best of everything. For so long, it had only been the two of them, they hadn't had anyone else to call on for support and help when times were tough.

Mother had managed to snag one last treasure for Aloysius, quick hands latching onto the register book before anyone else could take it from the stand. It was something special, done up to match the interior of the casket with a good conduct medal ribbon across the bottom right corner and the Army insignia pin in the middle of the cover.

~#~#~#~#~#~

With Rufus finally safe under the ground and away from the reach of his parents, Aloysius turned sharply and walked away, every step agonising but he knew he couldn't stay here. He had things to organise and people to avoid. He was so very grateful that Schofield and his team had stayed behind with him, they gave him the strength to continue to walk away, flag and casings still held to his chest.

Coming up beside him, Mother threw a heavy arm around his shoulders and held out the register book, his final prize. Relaxing his arms a little, Aloysius let her slip the book behind the flag where it would be protected from harm.

'Where are you staying, we'll give you a lift.' Shane offered, glancing back over his shoulder.

'Don't worry about me, Scarecrow. I've already got a ride back to the hotel.' Aloysius replied, turning his gaze to where a black sedan was parked, waiting for them. 'Lieutenant Johnson was assigned to keep tabs on me until the service was completed and I gave back this uniform.'

'We were thinking of going out tonight, care to join us?' Shane tried, not counting on anything but maybe they could convince Aloysius to not be alone.

'Yeah, I'd like that. I know a place, Rufus loved going there when we were in the area.' Aloysius nodded, another tear falling but he had a little bit of a smile on his face too.

'Sounds like the perfect place.' Buck agreed, heading to open the front door for Aloysius.

Settling in the car and resting the flag, book, casings and his dress sword in his lap, Aloysius buckled up and waited for his friends to squeeze in the back before turning to the patiently waiting Lieutenant behind the wheel.

'first we're going to take these three back to wherever they're staying so they can change into something more comfortable and then you can take me back to the hotel.' Aloysius instructed, leaving no room for argument.

'No can do, Sir. I have to have that uniform back in an hour, I'll be lucky to make it to the hotel and back in time.' Johnson replied, shaking his head quickly.

'Fine, whatever.' Aloysius shrugged, not really fussed by the change in plans.


	3. Friendship

Making things work despite the obstacles in the way, the group of friends eventually made it to a quiet little restaurant with some great views of the city. For a Sunday the place was pretty quiet so getting a table for six was easy. Heading for the bar, Aloysius paid for six drinks, leaving one on the bar with a memorial note for his fallen friend.

Joining his friends at the table and handing around the drinks, Aloysius was just about to offer a toast to Rufus when the soft music playing in the background fell silent and the manager appeared beside the bar.

'This is why Rufus loved this place so much, watch this.' Aloysius uttered, turning to the manager and waiting patiently.

'Patrons, we ask for your attention for a moment. Here on the bar, someone has left a memorial drink for another fallen hero. Please join us in a toast to this fallen hero.' the manager announced, raising a glass and waiting for the rest of the partons in the restaurant to stand and raise their drinks in silence.

'To Lieutenant Rufus McKenzie, the best damned pilot in the Army.' Aloysius called, his new next of-kin lapel pin shining in the light.

'America thanks you, Lieutenant McKenzie.' the manager added, nodding slowly to Aloysius.

His friends were all stunned by the shown support as every parton and staff member in the establishment repeated the managers' words and drank, total strangers united in remembrance of a man they didn't know. Putting his glass aside, the manager walked over to their table and offered Aloysius' his hand, understanding in his light blue eyes.

'Our deepest condolences on the loss of your friend, Captain.' he offered, resting his left hand on Aloysius' shoulder.

'Thanks Tony. It's been tough without him but I know he's watching over me still.' Aloysius nodded, digging in his pocket for a moment. 'Here, put these up with the others. He loved this place, its only right these are displayed here.'

Bringing his hand out of his pocket and uncurling his fingers, Aloysius presented Tony with three spent rifle casings tied with a black ribbon. Attached to the ribbon, there was a single notched dogtag bearing Rufus' details, a fitting tribute to such a good man.

'It'll be our honour to keep a small memorial of Rufus with us here.' Tony nodded, accepting the bound casings and holding them in both hands. 'Tonight is on the house, for all of you. It's the least we can do to show our appreciation for his service.'

'You have our thanks, Tony.' Aloysius replied, finding a smile as Tony walked away with the casings, heading for a glass case beside the bar.

Turning back to the table as one of the waitresses approached the table with a white velvet covered bow in her hands, Aloysius swallowed as she gently placed an empty Army officer's hat on the table, positioning it neatly at the last seat around the table. Saluting the hat, she turned sharply and walked away, setting the box on a shelf near the bar beside four other ones, each one bearing the name of one of the service branches in shining gold and silver.

Taking their seats, everyone at the table instantly looked at Aloysius, waiting for him to explain a few things. Obviously he was well known in this place but the exact reasons were a mystery. He seemed comfortable here; the weight was lifting off his shoulders a little bit more.

'Tony's an old buddy of mine; he left Delta a year before I did. He only hires veterans; he's not concerned about which branch, if they served our country, he'll take them on. I realised he was here by chance when Rufus and I were looking for a feed after a hard job, been coming here ever since.' Aloysius explained, sipping his beer and relaxing a little more.

'So what's with the casings you gave him?' Shane asked, careful to keep all hints of accusation out of his voice.

'I was given all 21 fired casings from the funeral, three in a display case to be kept with the flag and the rest to be given out as I choose.' Aloysius replied, reaching into his pockets again.

Bringing out three more of the neatly tied casing trios, Aloysius stood and came around the table to hand one to Mother and one to Buck before continuing around the table and pressing the third into Shane's hands before settling back in his place.

'He would never have said anything to you in person but you three were considered more important to him than his blood family. You didn't care that he was dishonourably discharged, you accepted him for who he was and that's more than his family ever gave him. The McKenzie family is military royalty; every one of them has served with distinction going back six generations. To them, not reaching the upper echelon of the armed forces is the greatest sin against the family name. His father is a General, his siblings are all Captains or above so the fact he died a Lieutenant is considered a poor effort for a McKenzie.' Aloysius sighed, absently touching the next-of-kin lapel pin he was wearing.

'So that's why Rufus picked you over his family.' Buck nodded, tucking his casing bundle safely in the pocket of his jacket.

'He knew I'd show proper respect to his flag and his memory. His family is probably already starting to erase him from the family history to hide the shame of burying a son before he at least made Captain. They don't want him anymore, so it's up to us to honour his memory.' Aloysius confirmed, looking around the table slowly.

'You can count on us, Aloysius.' Mother nodded, tightening her fingers around the casing bundle in her hand. 'He will never be forgotten.'

'I knew I wouldn't have to carry the burden alone, I'm forever grateful to all of you.' Aloysius offered, remembering the promises he'd made.

Ordering their meals and snacking on the herb and garlic bread that had been put on the table for them to share, the friends relaxed a little more, the Marines making sure Aloysius didn't have a lot of time to fall into his memories and slip away from them. Ralph and Aloysius were formally introduced and were soon chatting like old friends, men from completely different backgrounds drawn together by a shared experience of grief.

'What will you do now?' Ralph asked, reaching out to take the casings from Mother's hand so he could look at them closely.

'I don't really know. I've still got a few things to wrap up regarding Rufus' estate, but once all that is done, not sure where I'll go.' Aloysius sighed, dropping his gaze for a moment. 'I'll figure it out, I'm a survivor. One thing is for sure, the Black Knight is out of business.'

'If you ever need some company, you know where we are.' Shane offered, resting one hand on Aloysius' shoulder lightly.

'I appreciate the offer, Shane. I need some time but I'll be around.' Aloysius nodded, looking around at his friends.

'Take all the time you need, we'll be right here when you're ready.' Mother added, reaching across the table to him.

Surrounded by his friends, Aloysius really understood why Rufus had told him to turn to this group in his time of crisis. They really did care about him, they'd come when he needed them to bolster his flagging spirit and now they were propping him up and yet still giving him the space he needed to heal. They weren't restricting him as he'd feared might happen, they were giving him support and lifting him up without him even needing to ask.

'Thank you, all of you. I couldn't have handled today without your help. I know death stalks us all but I wasn't ready for any of this. Nothing could have prepared me to say goodbye to Rufus, no matter how many wonderful years we had together.' Aloysius uttered, reaching out to grasp Mother's reaching hand.

'That's what friends are for, Aloysius. Whatever time of the day or night, we're only a phone call away.' Buck replied, resting his hand atop the interlaced hands of his friends. 'When you need us, you only have to reach out and we'll be there.'

'Even if they're all deployed, I'll be around. I know I ain't military like you but I can still listen to your stories. Even if you just want some company, you're welcome to ride along when I'm working.' Ralph added, leaning against Mother contentedly.

'I might just take you up on that offer, Ralph. I'll see how I go and where I end up.' Aloysius nodded, leaning back as their meals were delivered, along with a fresh round of drinks and another basket of bread.

'If you ever need a job, Knight, there's an opening here for you.' Tony offered, squeezing Knight's shoulder as he passed.

'It's an option, Tony. Thanks.' Aloysius replied, stunned by the friends coming out from everywhere to help him. 'But I think my calling will be elsewhere.'

~#~#~#~#~#~

By the end of the night, with full stomachs and their spirits lifted by a few hours of reminiscing and promising to help each other through the challenges ahead, the friends left the restaurant but not without stopping beside the tribute case beside the bar. There in the middle of the top shelf, surrounded by dozens of empty casings, Rufus' three sat neatly, his dogtag angled so everyone could read the name of another fallen hero.

'Through us, you'll live on Rufus.' Shane promised, comforted by the slight weight of his matching set against his chest.

'You were the best, Rufus. No one will ever compare.' Buck added, totally convinced of his words.

'We've got the watch now, Rufus.' Mother nodded, resting one hand on Aloysius' back lightly.

'I'll find my feet again, buddy, and I'll live every day in your memory. This is my promise.' Aloysius uttered, feeling more confident of living up to that promise now that he knew just how much his remaining friends cared about him.

At peace for at least a little while, the friends wandered outside and Aloysius smiled, turning to look back at the restaurant. The flag that Tony proudly flew over the place had been lowered to half mast, paying respect to the dead as only he could.

'Take care Tony, somehow I doubt our paths will ever cross again.' Aloysius whispered, following his friends back to where they'd left Shane's rented SUV.

'What makes you say that?' Shane asked, slipping back in beside him.

'Just a feeling I've got. My place isn't here; it's out there somewhere doing something more active than working in a restaurant.' Aloysius shrugged, slinging one arm around Shane's shoulders. 'I'll find it; I've just got to keep looking.'

'You sure you want to be alone tonight, I don't mind sleeping on the couch or something.' Shane offered, brushing Aloysius' arm off and looking up at him.

'Nah, I'd rather be alone tonight. I need time and space to face all the things I've been ignoring since he died.' Aloysius sighed, looking up at the sky for a few moments. 'If I need some company, I'll call…or I'll turn up on the doorstep.'

'I should have seen that coming.' Shane groaned, shaking his head slowly. 'Take this, just in case.'

Accepting the spare key as Shane tucked the rest of his keys back into his pocket; Aloysius nodded and secured the key to a small key ring Mother had slipped him earlier. There was no way Aloysius would ever let these keys out of his sight, not with the trust implied with the two keys jangling against the USMC tag. Mother and Shane both trusted him with the keys to their homes, allowing him to come and go as he needed.

'I'll keep you informed, Shane. Even if it's just a text every few days.' Aloysius nodded, pocketing the keys again.

'That would be good, Aloysius. It doesn't have to be much, just let us know you're hanging in there.' Shane nodded, unlocking the SUV and climbing in behind the wheel. 'I'd hate to lose another friend any time soon.'

'Copy that Scarecrow.' Aloysius smirked, climbing in the back and closing his eyes. 'You won't have to worry about me forever, I'll bounce back.'

'We'll still worry; you're part of this team.' Mother replied, settling beside him quickly.

'Yeah, nothing will change that.' Buck added, bracketing Knight with their support.

'I know and I'm grateful for the support. I'll keep you all informed as I get my life together again.' Aloysius nodded, looking forward to a little alone time but he would never forget the kindness of his friends.


	4. Choices Made

Glancing at the calendar hanging near the couch, Shane sighed softly and checked his phone was still in his pocket. Six months since Rufus' passing and Aloysius had been very good at keeping his friends informed of his progress, sending thrice-weekly texts to let them know he was still alive and starting to pick up the pieces of his life.

Turning when someone knocked on his door, Shane set the iron aside and headed to answer it, wondering who would be coming by. Buck was away on leave and Mother had said she needed to spend the day do housework so he knew it wasn't his team. Peering through the eye hole, he smiled and opened the door, relief flooding his chest.

'Come in, Aloysius.' he grinned, looking the taller man over quickly to assess his condition.

'Hey Scarecrow.' Aloysius replied, wandering inside and setting a box on the coffee table.

'How're you holding up?' Shane asked, closing the door and heading to refill his coffee maker.

'It hasn't been easy but I'm getting there. Finally got everything organised, had to face the McKenzie family in court twice but it's done.' Aloysius shrugged, leaning against the wall just inside the kitchen. 'They wanted what they felt was theirs but the judge told them in no uncertain terms that they had no claim to any of it since Rufus had left written instructions that I was his next-of-kin. Ended up in a slugging match with Richard outside but he was quickly dragged away before any serious damage could be done.'

'So just another ordinary day.' Shane smirked, hooking down a clean mug and turning to lean against the bench.

'Something like that.' Aloysius agreed, rubbing his jaw. 'For an older guy, Richard McKenzie can still throw a good punch.'

Accepting one of the mugs, Aloysius headed back into the living room and settled beside Shane on the couch, gazing at the simple cardboard box he'd brought along. The box was a little worn around the corners, showing signs of being carried around a lot.

'I've had a lot of time to think over the last six months, some would say a little too much time but it's given me a chance to make a few important decisions. I don't like taking advantage of some of the government assistance I was offered after saving your life but I'll use it anyway because it's what I need to make this happen.' Aloysius sighed, running one hand through his hair slowly. 'It's time I started over again.'

'Anything I can do to help?' Shane asked, setting his mug down and turning to Aloysius fully.

'Yeah, I need you to look after this for me for a little while. I can't take it with me but it's wrong to put it into storage with the rest of my gear. I know you'll take good care of this, you understand the importance of keeping it safe and showing proper respect.' Aloysius nodded, indicating the box sitting there innocently.

Lifting the lid off the box, Shane's confusion only grew. Tucked inside the box neatly, everything wrapped and protected from harm, Aloysius had packed up Rufus' memorial, his folded flag, casings and everything else that had formed the memorial Aloysius had sent them photos of.

'I don't understand Aloysius. Where are you going that you can't take this with you?' Shane asked, lifting the framed flag out and carrying it over to his bookcase. 'Tell me you've not going to do something stupid.'

'No, nothing stupid Shane.' Aloysius replied, picking up the box and carrying it over to where Shane was reorganising one of the shelves to make space for Rufus' memorial. 'I'm going back into the service. No, I'm not going back into the Army, there's nothing there for me anymore.'

'So where will you go?' Shane asked, setting the flag up and reaching into the box for the rest of the display items, setting everything up neatly.

'We'll finish organising this and I'll show you.' Aloysius replied, helping to sort out the packing from the precious items and set everything up.

Empty box tucked away out of sight, Shane followed Aloysius back to the couch and accepted the letter Aloysius was holding out for him. Unfolding the letter and reading it quickly, Shane couldn't believe his eyes. Aloysius hadn't been kidding when he'd said he was starting over again.

'You're serious about this, aren't you?' Shane asked, looking up from the letter.

'Totally serious, Shane. This is my decision, I'm going back in and I'm going to do it right this time. I needed you to know, in the vain hope I'd have a place to go when I've finished the training and survived the hardships coming my way.' Aloysius nodded, taking the letter back and tucking it back in his jacket pocket.

'You make it through with good scores and I'll do whatever I can to ensure you've got a place.' Shane agreed, already thinking of ways to convince the personnel office to give him a fresh recruit.

'I won't let you down.' Aloysius grinned, reaching for his coffee and leaning back comfortably. 'I'm not sure how I'll go after so long as a lone wolf.'

'You'll be fine, so long as you keep your head down and avoid smarting off to anyone.' Shane replied, getting comfortable and enjoying the casual nature of their time together. 'Respect the DI's, play nice with your fellow recruits and don't make it too obvious that you're so highly trained.'

'Yeah, I already figured that out. But that doesn't mean I'm going to make a secret of my Army training. They can take me as I am or not at all.' Aloysius shrugged, nudging his glasses back up his nose. 'I've organised all the paperwork I need, I just hope it's accepted without too much of a fight. I really don't feel like proving my eye troubles every day.'

'I could write a letter of support, stating that I know you in an official capacity and have seen first hand the necessity of your glasses. I know you don't go for name dropping but in this situation it might be necessary.' Shane offered, knowing it wouldn't take long to organise the letter.

'I think that would be a good idea. It's not that I don't like name dropping, it's more that I don't have many names to drop and so I save the ones I have for when it's really needed.' Aloysius agreed, sipping his coffee and looking at the memorial they'd made for Rufus.

Getting up and collecting his laptop from where he'd left it, Shane sunk back down onto the couch and opened up the folder of prepared documents for any official situation. Finding the one he wanted and opening it, Shane got busy, removing the suggested text and typing in his own experiences of Aloysius and his Acute Retinal Dystrophy. He kept it brief and right to the point while still making sure to cover everything he knew of the condition.

Finally satisfied, he got up and returned his laptop to the office, plugging in the printer and waiting for the four page document to come out. Signing off with a flourish, he stapled the document together and folded it neatly before padding back out to the living room and handing it over.

'If anyone wants to argue the authenticity of this, tell them to give me a call. I've put all my contact details in there so they shouldn't have any trouble reaching me one way or another.' Shane offered, noting the gratitude in Aloysius' shielded gaze.

'Thanks for this, Shane. Hopefully it's enough to get me through.' Aloysius grinned, tucking the official letter into his inside jacket pocket where it would be safest.

'I trust you've been keeping fit, it's no easy feat getting past the initial strength test. Then you have to kick it up to maintain the highest standards in the armed services.' Shane mused, finishing his coffee and turning his attention back to the uniforms he was supposed to be ironing.

'I checked out the initial strength test requirements. Two pull ups, 44 crunches in two minutes and 1.5 mile run in under 13 minutes. I can do that easily, I put in that sort of effort twice daily to maintain peak condition.' Aloysius nodded, deciding not to tell Shane about the hours of extra work he put in to keep fighting fit and up to old standards.

'I must admit, I'm surprised they're letting you do this. I'm pretty sure enlisted recruits are meant to be under 30.' Shane remarked, mostly focused on his ironing.

'Meant to be but I got a special waiver. Prior service and a touch of name dropping, not to mention one hell of a recruiter.' Aloysius shrugged, getting up and grabbing one of the hangers dangling off the end of the ironing board. 'I'm not worried about the physical side of things, it's the mental side that worries me a bit.'

'I'm more worried about your moral success.' Shane replied, handing over the neatly pressed shirt and watching to make sure Aloysius handled it properly.

'I've been working on that over the last six months. I'll be okay, once I really start to get into the rhythm of service again.' Aloysius nodded, hanging up the shirt and checking it was neat. 'Stop worrying Scarecrow, I know what I'm doing.'

'You'd better, it's not your appearance at risk.' Shane warned, going back to his ironing as Aloysius turned and hung that shirt up beside several others.

'Some things you never forget.' Aloysius countered, moving aside so Shane could see that the shirt was hung pristinely. 'I can still do a Class A uniform to perfection even after all these years.'

'We'll just have to see how you go with your new uniforms.' Shane chuckled, hoping Aloysius really did understand what he was getting into.

~#~#~#~#~#~

After a light lunch, Shane suggested they spend some time going over some of the physical training Aloysius was likely to confront once he began this next phase of his life. Returning Shane's grin, Aloysius accepted the offer, understanding what Shane was really trying to give him. This wasn't about training or physical abilities, it was simply two friends working out together.

Accepting the change of clothes that Shane provided for him, Aloysius knew he was about to face 20 questions about his tattoos but he really couldn't find a reason to care. Leaving his clothes neatly folded on the chair in the office, Aloysius wandered back out into the living room to pull on his joggers and lace them up again.

'You'll have trouble getting in with all of those.' Shane remarked, stopping in the doorway and staring at all of Aloysius' new ink.

'I've got a solution for that. It's a new product, once on it's impossible to see and makes all tattoos disappear.' Aloysius shrugged, lightly rubbing the name running down the inside of his left arm.

'Pretty sure that's against the rules.' Shane grinned, taking in the designs as Aloysius stood.

He wore Rufus' name in curving letters down the inside of his left arm, a belt of empty casings under his right knee and something peeking out under his right sleeve. Turning a little, Aloysius pulled up the right sleeve of his shirt, revealing a Delta Unit insignia in grey. Releasing his sleeve, Aloysius yanked the shirt off, revealing the RPMM over his heart before turning his back to Shane.

There was his greatest tribute, three sides of the man he honoured with every breath. Over his left shoulder there was a hovering Black Hawk, swooping in for a rescue. On the other side, he wore the Black Raven, wings drippings with missiles as it raced skyward. Between the aircraft, in older styled lettering, he'd gone simply with Alley Cat. Under the callsign, the tattooist had faithfully reproduced Rufus' head and shoulders, catching every detail of the man behind the callsign. Right at the bottom, just above the shorts Aloysius was wearing, was Rufus' full name, his date of birth and date of death, the lettering done to look like handwriting.

Gaze sweeping down, Shane checked for any more tattoos and found the one on the back of Knight's left calf. It was simple and tied back to Rufus neatly. Running up the back of his leg, a series of little black paw prints went right up past his knee and disappeared under the leg of Aloysius' shorts. Chuckling softly, Aloysius hiked up the shorts a little bit to show where the paw prints ended. There on the back of his thigh, he had the folded flag tattooed in full colour, a little black cat curled up on it, fast asleep.

Turning around again, Aloysius pulled the shirt back on and rolled his shoulders, relaxed under the scrutiny and itching to get moving. Shaking his head slowly, Shane grabbed his cap and headed out the door, Aloysius right there beside him as they headed down stairs and set out on a nice easy run.

'When you said you were going to live each day in his memory, that's not what I expected.' Shane remarked, glancing at Aloysius with a grin.

'This is my greatest tribute to him.' Aloysius shrugged, looking for al the world like he was just cruising. 'I thought this was a run, Scarecrow, not a slow jog.'

'I'd rather you didn't strain anything before you even started.' Shane replied, picking up the pace a little but keeping back from a flat run.

'Fair call, Scarecrow.' Aloysius nodded, falling into rhythm with Shane and shooting him a teasing look. 'Make it real, Scarecrow. No point screwing around if I'm going to succeed at this.'

'You're on, Knight.' Shane smirked, upping the pace again.

Pounding the pavement in rhythm, Shane challenged Aloysius to multi-task a little bit, starting up a cadence call to keep them on step. Staying on Shane's left flank easily, Aloysius picked up the call quickly, his focus unbreakable even as Shane tried him out with a few different rhythms and led him on a circuitous path.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Looking up at the sound of Shane yelling in her yard, Mother left the dishes she was working on and headed out to see what was going on out there. Sliding the back door open, she stopped and stared in disbelief. Shane was doing his best Drill Instructor impersonation, screaming at some poor fuck that had crossed him. Whoever it was, they were working up one hell of a sweat, pushing hard and moving fast to keep up with Shane's orders.

Then Shane went quiet and offered his hand to the man on the ground, hauling him up and Mother's jaw dropped again. It wasn't some Marine getting a little personal attention from the Scarecrow, he'd brought Aloysius over and was making his sweat.

'Do I want to know?' she asked, startling both men and bringing them running towards her.

'It's okay Mother, I was just giving Knight a taste of what he's going to get.' Shane replied, jumping up onto the back porch.

'I still don't think I'm going to have any problems keeping up.' Aloysius shrugged, stepping up onto the back porch. 'The hardest part is going to be keeping my mouth shut.'

'What the fuck are you two going on about?' Mother asked, leading them inside and heading for the kitchen to get them both a drink.

'Call me crazy, Mother but I'm going back into the service. With my prior service and a few phone calls, I was accepted into the next intake at Parris Island.' Aloysius grinned, sliding the door behind him and leaning back against the wall.

'You are one crazy fuck, Knight.' Mother chuckled, coming back with two glasses of water. 'You're over recruiting age but I reckon you'll do fine if you get through.'

'I got a special waiver to cover that minor issue.' Aloysius offered, accepting the glass she held out to him. 'Rufus wanted me to be safe and anchored again, this was the only way I could think of to keep my promise to find a new place in the world.'

'Aren't you worried about your competitors finding you?' Mother asked, sinking down on the couch.

'It'll take them a while to realise the Raven isn't in the air anymore. Even if they do find me again, I doubt they'll have much luck getting at me anymore.' Aloysius smirked, his old fire coming back.

'It's a risk they'll have to take. Even if they do find him, I don't think they'll try it while he's among friends.' Shane added, drinking deep and looking Knight over. 'There's something good about seeing Knight wearing a Marine shirt.'

'There's something good about facing becoming part of something bigger again.' Knight agreed, plucking at his sweaty shirt.

'Just remember, don't smart off to the DI's.' Mother warned, stunned that Aloysius would even consider joining the Marines. 'They will make you hurt, regardless of how much you think you know about military life.'

'Shane's already given me the rundown on what not to do during training.' Aloysius nodded, draining his glass and rolling his shoulders.

Leaving the men alone for a few minutes, Mother changed into PT gear and returned to them, not really concerned about the rest of the housework she was meant to be doing. Everything else could wait, right now she had something more important to think about. If Aloysius was going to try to become a Marine, she was duty bound to help him.

'I had a feeling you'd jump in Mother.' Shane laughed, taking their glasses back through to the kitchen. 'You're going to be absolutely wasted by the time she's done, Knight.'

'I can handle it.' Aloysius grinned, adjusting his glasses and bracing for a long afternoon.

'Come on, let's see how good you really are.' Mother nodded, getting up and locking the back door before ushering the men outside.

~#~#~#~#~#~

It was just starting to get dark by the time Shane and Aloysius returned to the apartment. They were both feeling the aftermath of that hard session. Mother was nothing if not a strong motivator to get the job done.

'Okay, I think I'm fully educated on what might happen when I meet the DI's.' Aloysius groaned, rubbing at his ears. 'Damn she can yell when she gets going.'

'It'll be worse at Parris Island. You thought she was bad, wait until you get four DI's breathing down your neck.' Shane warned, heading straight for the coffee pot. 'You wanna stay the night? All I can offer if the couch but it's not too bad.'

'Nah, I've still for a little bit more packing to finish up before I ship out. Personal stuff really, I was going to ask if I could store it in Mother's garage until I get back.' Aloysius replied, scrubbing at his hair. 'I will grab a quick shower though.'

'Sure, go ahead.' Shane nodded, digging in the fridge for something to eat. 'You know Mother wouldn't mind storing some stuff, she's good like that.'

'It's only a couple of boxes, I've put most of my stuff in storage already.' Aloysius called back, grabbing his clothes from the office and heading for the bathroom.

Reheating some Chinese leftovers from the night before, Shane really thought about Aloysius' chances with this new plan of his. His age counted against him, he'd be competing against recruits 15 years his junior. But with his old Delta training and the years he spent hunting, his abilities and skills might just level the playing field a little bit. It was hard to know for sure, all they could do was wait and see how Knight did when he started.

Five minutes and Aloysius was back in the living room, settling his jacket with a quick flick and making sure all his documents were safe in the pockets still. Stopping at the bookshelf, he removed the lapel pin from his shirt and placed it gently atop the casings box, thumb stroking over the surface lovingly.

'I'll be back, buddy. I have to do this, as much as it's going to hurt. I can't take you with me this time, I have to stand on my own two feet now. I'll be back for you, once I've set my path before me and I'm walking with my head held high again. No more hiding, I've got a job to do.' Aloysius uttered, fingers drifting to rest against the protected flag. 'I probably won't be back for a while but I will return for you buddy.'

'I'll take care of him, Aloysius. You can count on me, I won't let anything happen to him.' Shane promised, coming up behind Aloysius.

'I know you will, Shane.' Aloysius nodded, turning away from the memorial.

'Keep in touch, okay. Phone calls can be a bit random but you can always write us.' Shane grinned, holding out a folded sheet of paper. 'We'll all write you back, you know we will.'

'Every week, Scarecrow.' Aloysius nodded, tucking the page in his pocket safely.

One last look back at the memorial and Aloysius walked away, hands shoved in his pockets as he looked just a little bit lost. It was almost as if he'd lost his confidence now that he was facing such a big lifestyle change.

'Well, I guess this is it. I'll see you on the other side, Scarecrow.' Aloysius sighed, lifting his gaze and offering his hand.

'Mouth shut, head down and work hard, Aloysius. You'll do just fine.' Shane guided, shaking his hand firmly. 'Don't worry about anything except your training.'

'Copy that Scarecrow.' Aloysius replied, dropping his hand again. 'I hope you don't mind but I organised for all my outside mail to come to you. Nothing serious, just bills and the like. It's all being paid for automatically but the letters had to go somewhere.'

'I'll stash them all in a box for your return.' Shane promised, not at all worried about being used as a mail drop.

'Thanks Shane.' Aloysius grinned, heading for the door. 'Semper Fi Devil Dog.'

'Take care recruit.' Shane called, standing there and watching Aloysius walk away and close the door behind him. 'Good luck Aloysius, you're going to need it.'


	5. Training Begins

With nothing to his name except the clothes on his back and an envelope of papers in his right hand, Aloysius shot off the bus as soon as the first Drill Instructor started barking orders. He felt decidedly old as the rest of the recruits filed off the bus and formed up on the yellow footprints around him. They were all so much younger than he was, just kids really but they would soon learn what the real world was all about. Aloysius could only hope he was good enough to withstand the storm that was sure to be coming his way.

Recalling everything his friends had warned him about, Aloysius stood tall and followed the rapid fire orders from the DI. It was a bit of a shock but certainly not as bad as some of the other recruits were making it seem. The guy standing beside Knight was shaking, whether from cold or fear Aloysius couldn't be sure. Thin and lanky, he hardly looked like he would survive training but Aloysius was certainly going to try and help all of his fellow recruits make it through.

Before the first DI could even start his speech welcoming them to Parris Island, another DI was right in Knight's face, pointing him off to the side. Bracing for the worst, Aloysius stepped to the side obediently, following the Drill Instructor onto the footpath and standing to attention.

'You had better have a damned good reason why you're wearing sunglasses at night, recruit.' the DI warned, right in Knight's face again and yelling but he wasn't as loud as Mother.

'Yes, Sir! Medical reasons, Sir!' Aloysius replied, responding just as Mother had drilled him. 'This recruit has all the necessary documents proving his condition, Sir!'

'Show me, recruit.'

'Yes, Sir!' Aloysius barked, opening the envelope in his hand and pulling out the top three letters. Two were from doctors that knew his condition; the third was Shane's supporting letter.

Standing there freezing his ass off as the DI read the letters, Aloysius knew it was a huge gamble to drop Scarecrow's name this early in but he didn't have any other choice. He had to get through, he had to survive this and show the world that he could rise up and meet the challenges.

'You know Captain Schofield, do you recruit?'

'Yes, Sir! This recruit has had the pleasure of knowing Captain Schofield for several years.' Aloysius confirmed, rolling the dice and hoping he wasn't turned away this early.

'Do not think for one second that Captain Schofield can help you survive this training, recruit.'

'No, Sir! This recruit expects no special treatment! This recruit will make it through!' Aloysius responded, trusting that Shane wouldn't put in an appearance and throw him off his rhythm.

'You seem a little old to be starting training.' the DI continued, leaning right in close and peering at Aloysius closely.

'Yes, Sir! This recruit is 36, Sir!' Aloysius replied, struggling to maintain his cool. 'This recruit was given a special waiver due to prior service, Sir! This recruit completed 10 years in the Army, Sir! This recruit completed four years in Army Special Forces, Sir!'

Aloysius felt a little flash of pride when the DI paused, seemingly rattled to be confronted with a man that had already done many years of service with the elite of the Army and was now looking to make a name in the Marines.

'Get back in formation recruit!' the DI snapped, handing back the medical letters.

'Yes, Sir!' Aloysius snapped, tucking the letters away even as he turned and strode back to his place on the yellow footprints.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Everything was a bit of a blur, the hours blending together into one big haze of yelling Drill Instructors, spooked recruits and repetition. Much as Aloysius expected, he was singled out constantly, the DI's demanding answers about his glasses and pushing him so much harder than all the younger recruits. Responding like any other good recruit, Aloysius played along with them, accepting that they would try it with him just to see if he would break. Aloysius kept his head up and barked back at them, responding as he'd been told to.

Hair cut, glasses checked and permitted and his new equipment sitting at his feet, Aloysius accepted his initial uniform issue and joined his platoon again, knowing fully well that the next step would draw much attention. On the order of their DI's, the platoon stripped off and changed into their new uniforms.

Sure enough, one of the DI's got an eyeful of Aloysius' back tattoo, three steps and he was right up behind Aloysius, yelling in his ear as was normal. Maintaining his cool, Aloysius waited for the DI to take a breath before getting in with his response.

'This recruit had his back tattoo done eight months ago to honour the loss of a dear friend, Sir! This recruit honours Lieutenant Rufus McKenzie of the 160th SOAR, US Army! This recruit was very lucky to have Lieutenant McKenzie as a friend, Sir!' Aloysius called, knocking the DI off his rant.

'Explain this one, recruit!' the DI demanded, poking Aloysius in the arm, right over one of his few uncovered tattoos.

'Yes, Sir! This recruit successfully completed training to become a member of Delta Force, Sir! This recruit spent four years serving as a member of Delta Team 7, Sir!' Aloysius replied, keeping his eyes forward when he really wanted to stare the other man down.

For a few moments, everyone was silent, every trained Marine in the room staring at Aloysius and re-evaluating his chances of surviving the training. The DI that had been standing right behind him took a quick step back, instantly wary of Aloysius. Suddenly Aloysius' tattoos weren't as interesting and the DI's turned their attention to the rest of the recruits in the room.

There was something special for Aloysius as he donned the new uniform. He suddenly felt like he was part of something again, something bigger than he'd ever faced before. Suddenly he felt like there was meaning in his life, a meaning that had been lacking since Rufus' passing. He was on the path to redemption and he was going to make the best use of this chance that he could.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Aloysius never even saw it coming. One minute he was following several other recruits in for their medical checks and the next he was flat on his back with a ringing head. Rolling over, he quickly sat up and wiped the blood from his lips before starting to search for his glasses around where he'd fallen. Someone else was there to help him, a soft hand pressing his battle scarred glasses into his hand lightly.

Slipping his glasses on, Aloysius accepted the helping hand up and turned to confront his attacker. Feeling something loose in his mouth, Aloysius growled and spat in his hand, glaring at the tooth that he'd just lost to some young upstart. He needn't have worried about the upstart that had punched him in the face, the DI's had seen the incident and now there were four of them gathered around the troublemaker.

Thinking it over for a moment, Aloysius tucked the tooth into his mouth again; at least there it would be clean until he could get into the dentist to get it dealt with.

'Recruit Knight, over here!' one of the DI's called, standing off to the side away from all the other personnel in the room.

'Yes, Sir!' Aloysius replied, careful not to swallow his loose tooth as he jogged over to the DI.

'Are you okay after that sneak hit?' the DI asked, showing a side that Aloysius had never expected to see from a Drill Instructor.

'Yes, Sir. I require dental treatment but apart from that, no harm done, Sir.' Aloysius replied, fishing out the free tooth to show what he was talking about.

'Come on, I'll take you through to the dentist.' the DI nodded, motioning for Aloysius to proceed him from the room.

'Thank you, Sir.' Aloysius offered, stunned to see such a kind display from a DI.

Leaving the main room and walking down one of the corridors, Aloysius was starting to wonder if this was some elaborate hoax to get him into trouble or something. He was better than all the other recruits so perhaps the DI's had organised this to seek out any signs of weakness. It wasn't exactly likely but it was a possible option.

Escorted into the dentist's office, Aloysius quickly relaxed, handing over the removed tooth and settling back in the chair.

'Sir, can this recruit know which recruit landed that punch?' Aloysius asked, looking up at the DI in the doorway. 'This recruit promises that there will be no retribution, he just wishes to know who to avoid in future.'

'Very well, recruit. You were caught out by recruit McKenzie.' the DI replied, turning sharply and walking away.

'Even here I can't escape that name.' Aloysius sighed, shaking his head slowly.

'This won't take long, recruit.' the dentist guided, setting his removed tooth in a tub of mouthwash to keep it clean. 'Any other dental problems to report?'

'Two missing on the right side and one on the left, Sir.' Aloysius replied, opening wide and letting the dentist take a look.

'You're lucky, recruit. This one will go back in easily but it will take a little while to heal.' the dentist continued, light with the novocaine but Aloysius was used to pain.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Practically cruising through receiving, Aloysius kept one eye on McKenzie, wary of another cheap shot as they went through the motions and prepared to begin true training. The Instructors weren't taking chances either, McKenzie was always under watch to keep him form doing anything stupid. Aloysius doubted anyone could stop McKenzie from trying it again but the next time the youngster did try it, Aloysius would be ready.

Getting his rifle and magazines, Aloysius showed his prior knowledge, handling the weapon with respect and rattling off the serial number with ease after just one look. Walking away with the weapon, he heard someone coming up behind him and whirled around to face them, eyes hardening when he came face to face with young McKenzie.

Aloysius didn't need to think about it when McKenzie swung another punch at him. Stepping back onto his left foot, Aloysius caught his flying right hand and turned, dumping the youngster on the floor heavily.

'Get over it, boy. Your Uncle picked me and that's final.' Aloysius growled, spotting an incoming DI and dropping to the deck smoothly. 'How many, Sir?'

'Get back in formation, recruit!' the DI yelled, his steely blue gaze on Aloysius for a moment.

'Yes, Sir!' Aloysius replied, scrambling up and running back to his place in the formation.

There was no missing the smirk on Knight's face as young McKenzie was smoked again, the Instructors starting to lose their patience with the young upstart.

'Knight! Why is this recruit behaving in this way?' another DI called, approaching the formation.

'This recruit believes that recruit McKenzie is angry that this recruit was chosen as next-of-kin to fallen NightStalker pilot Lieutenant Rufus McKenzie.' Aloysius replied, his gaze wavering for a moment. 'This recruit is honoured by the choice but the McKenzie family has disagreed since the funeral eight months ago.'

'Did you influence the decision made by Lieutenant McKenzie at all?'

'No, Sir! This recruit was unaware of Lieutenant McKenzie's decision until the funeral.' Aloysius replied, not thinking about the week that he'd known before the funeral.

'Very well, recruit.'

Thoughts turning to Rufus for a few precious moments, Aloysius stood quietly with his platoon as they waited for their next order. If he was going to end up going toe-to-toe with this young McKenzie every step of the way, his scores would never be good enough to meet Shane's high expectations. But it seemed very unlikely that young McKenzie would let it go anytime soon.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Facing up to the Initial Strength Test to prove he was fit and ready to become a full recruit, Aloysius made sure not to show up his fellow recruits too much but he made damn sure to show up McKenzie. While the rest of the recruits battled through the pull-up section, the rivals powered through fifteen in quick succession. Aloysius made it look like he was done and McKenzie smirked as he did another five before dropping off the bar. Barely breaking a sweat, Aloysius worked through another fifteen before dropping off and allowing another recruit onto the bar.

Moving into the crunches, the pair were both fired up and looking to prove they were the better man. But young McKenzie couldn't keep up with Aloysius when he got going. He might have been at least 15 years older but Aloysius had kept his body in peak condition and his extra training before coming to Parris Island gave him an edge. McKenzie managed 51 crunches in two minutes but once again, Aloysius had him beaten with a rather impressive 60 crunches.

With the rest of the platoon cleared for the run, the group set off on the 1.5 mile track, Aloysius quickly working his way to the front and pounding the course at a nice steady run. He wasn't pushing as hard as he could but he was still leaving his fellow recruits behind. A few tried to keep up with him but while they were going flat out, he was keeping plenty in reserve for a final sprint.

McKenzie managed to catch up with him a few times but Knight kept pulling away, pouring on more and more speed to get through the course with a respectable time. Working up a good sweat, Aloysius dug deep for strength, shifting gears and stretching out into a distance eating stride. This run was easy in comparison to runs he'd made in the past. At least no one was shooting at him.

Coming down the home stretch, Aloysius switched up again, going from his lope up to a flat sprint. Running hard, hearing Rufus' voice in his head urging him along, he shot past the Instructors and eased back through his paces as he circled the area. His legs were burning but it was a good burn, a reminder of just how hard he needed to keep pushing.

'That was impressive, recruit.' someone praised, walking over to stand beside him.

'Thank you, Sir.' Aloysius replied, catching his breath and straightening up.

'Eight minutes fifty.' one of the Instructors added, most of his attention still on the clock. 'Not the fastest time on record but close.'

'This recruit was not trying to break records, Sir.' Aloysius nodded, shaking out his legs and waiting for the rest of the recruits to make it through.

Doing a few stretches as he waited, Aloysius smirked as McKenzie eventually came across the line, bringing up the rear of the group and only just scraping through before the run timed out. Wisely Aloysius said nothing, he just looked at McKenzie with a faint shrug and walked over to join the rest of the recruits as they recovered from the run.

'How did you do that?' one young recruit asked, looking up at Aloysius in awe.

'Practise and a strict lifestyle.' Aloysius shrugged, his shirt barely damp while several other recruits were dripping with sweat.


	6. Proving Grounds

He hadn't really been meaning to do it but over the last two weeks, as everyone started to find their rhythm and get used to the hard pace of training, Aloysius had become a surrogate big brother to his platoon mates and was well liked by everyone except for McKenzie. Their rivalry had only gotten worse but it was mostly coming from McKenzie. Aloysius was content to let him try it and knock him on his ass when he had the chance to go up against youngster.

The Drill Instructors had come to realise that Aloysius was the key to the platoon; he was the sounding board that kept the rest of the recruits together and up to standards. They tended to let him go when it came to guiding the youngsters, they were interested to see where his unusual background would take the recruits as they listened to him.

He'd been given more responsibilities, his old leadership qualities coming out strong and convincing the DI's to trust him as a Squad Leader. Then they'd thrown him another piece of equipment to handle, the platoon guidon. One more thing to carry, one more precious display of trust for the oldest recruit and another chance to show that he was worthy.

Aloysius gave up much of his free time to coach the younger recruits, usually only using twenty minutes of the allotted time each evening to read his letters, write back and have his evening shower and shave. Then he was totally focused on his friends, talking them through their troubles and helping them really adjust to the military life.

There was one kid in particular that Aloysius spent a lot of time with. Ricky Thompson, a short, scrawny kid with dark blue eyes and an eager smile. He was from down south, his drawl a secret comfort to Aloysius as they worked together to bring him up to standard. He wasn't the brightest guy in the platoon, he was constantly struggling with the class work and the rapid fire orders but he was really trying to improve.

Occasionally he would gather his friends around and tell them stories of his friends in the Corps, passing on lessons of honour, courage and commitment through the actions of the Marines he knew best - Schofield and his unit. He picked his stories carefully, protecting his own past while still striving to pass on the lessons he'd taken from watching them in action. He also spoke of integrity, discipline, loyalty and teamwork, bringing his adventures to life for his friends and letting them see just what real Marines could do.

Some nights he was particularly busy, sharing his understanding with everyone in his platoon and making sure they could always put their hand on any piece of equipment that the DI's might ask for. Other nights, he had time to sit with one or two recruits and take them through things slowly, helping them really get it sorted in their minds.

Other nights, he worked to inspire his fellow recruits to improve, using his own abilities and hard earned skills to encourage them to keep trying and always strive to go just that little bit further. He coaxed them to struggle through one more pull-up each time, just one more crunch, half a second faster with each step of their running. These were the lessons his fellow recruits liked best, the nights when they could see Aloysius really show what he was capable of. Whether he was gritting his teeth through another set of push-ups or working through the burn to beat his previous crunches record, his friends were always there watching and learning from his lead.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Week three and they were facing the confidence course. From a distance it didn't look too hard but thoughts changed as soon as the platoon was thrown into it and told to move. Calling out battle cries, the platoon charged into action in pairs, working together and coaxing each other to make it through. McKenzie had tried to go up against Knight head to head again but Knight was already on the course, staying in step with Ricky Thompson.

Scrambling over walls, swinging over pits and heaving their way over raised logs, the pair led their platoon through the course, listening to instructions being barked at them and working together to succeed. Ricky struggled to keep a grip on the ropes sometimes but Aloysius was right there egging him on to hang in there and keep moving.

The monkey bridge almost got Ricky, the young recruit really had a hard time keeping his balance on the lower rope but Aloysius was there for him, reaching out to nudge Ricky back into a better position before he fell into the pool at the bottom. The very act of saving his friend from a fall cost Aloysius time as he took an unscheduled bath after losing his grip on the upper rope. Rising up out of the pool with a splutter, Aloysius headed straight for the edge and climbed out, shaking off the excess water before climbing up again and having another go at the obstacle.

Getting to the slide for life, McKenzie had managed to catch up with them and scaled the cargo net 20 feet up to the platform. Aloysius pretty much ignored McKenzie, settling on the rope and starting down beside Ricky. McKenzie sped on ahead of them and made it to dry land with a triumphant grin but Aloysius didn't care, he had to focus on getting Ricky down safely.

Rolling over to hang under the rope, Ricky lost his grip and dropped into the pool with a mighty splash, sending McKenzie into giggles on the shore. Scowling as he rolled, Aloysius dropped off the rope and landed beside Ricky before grabbing him by the shoulder and heading for the edge.

'Ignore him, Ricky. He doesn't understand what this is all about. Come on, we'll get through this together.' Aloysius grinned, heading for the cargo net again.

'Why did you drop off, Knight?' Ricky asked, starting up the net again.

'Leave no man behind. One way or another, we are finishing this course together Ricky.' Aloysius replied, showing Ricky the easier way to scale the net.

Getting to the top again, Aloysius scowled at the sight of McKenzie still standing by the pool with his smirk firmly planted on his face. Lip curling in disgust, Aloysius settled on the rope and slid down again, one eye on Ricky the whole time. Ricky slipped again but this time he managed to hold his grip and get back onto the rope so he could continue down with Aloysius.

'Recruit, get off my damned rope!' DI Anderson called, giving Aloysius' line a shake to get him moving again.

'Yes, Sir!' Aloysius called back, holding tight until Ricky nodded and the pair continued down together. Reaching the end, Aloysius clapped Ricky on the shoulder and they ran on together, leaving McKenzie behind to wonder about Aloysius' actions.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Sundays were always Knight's favourite time, mainly because it was the only day that he had some time to be completely alone. While everyone else went to church or took some quiet time to go over their lessons from the week before, Aloysius would find a quiet spot and sit in silent solitude. If it got noisy before he knew he had to report back, he simply moved to another spot and went back to his thoughts.

He took the time to think about Rufus, loving tears falling slowly as he gazed at one of the older photos he'd been sent by his friends. He'd written and asked Mother to send him a particular bundle of photos from one of the boxes he'd stored in her garage. Since receiving the photos, Aloysius had pushed even harder, promising excellence and giving everything he had.

Sitting on the grass, looking at the photos Buck had sent of Rufus' grave now that it was all turfed and looking good, Aloysius found a smile as he thought about all the struggles to get Rufus the funeral and final resting place that he deserved.

'It hasn't been easy, buddy, but I'm making progress. I know we promised that if one of us died during combat, the other would walk away from fighting but in this case, I don't know how else to get in with Schofield and his team.' Aloysius sighed, shuffling the photos in his hands.

His smile grew as he gazed at another photo, this one of Rufus stretched out one wing of his fighter; head down in a hatch as he did routine maintenance on the fearsome jet. Another photo and Aloysius couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Rufus in casual jeans and a red tee shirt declaring he was God's Pilot. Aloysius still had that shirt; it was folded up in one of the boxes Mother was guarding for him.

Looking up when he heard someone approaching, Aloysius glared at McKenzie as he approached. Getting to his feet, Aloysius pocketed his photos and turned to confront McKenzie, waiting for the fireworks again. He was getting tired of this young upstart but there was nothing he could do about it except keep fighting back and proving that he was the better man.

But to Knight's surprise, McKenzie stopped short and dug in his pocket, holding out something in his right hand. Stepping forward, Knight reached out and proffered his right hand to accept whatever was being offered. Aloysius didn't understand why he was being given this or what it represented but it obviously meant something important. To him it was just a small glass vial of ashes, the end capped with a tiny US Army insignia.

'Every McKenzie that is buried is supposed to have one of these in their pocket, customised to fit their branch. This one contains some of the ashes of my great-grandfather, bridging the generation gap and helping each fallen family member find those that have gone before them.' McKenzie explained, watching Aloysius examine the vial.

'So why give it to me of all people and now of all times?' Aloysius asked, disturbed to be holding a small portion of Rufus' grandfather.

'Because it should be with Uncle Rufus. Seeing as he's not with us, we have no right to keep the vial. It is your responsibility to see it gets to where it belongs.' McKenzie replied, speaking as if it all made perfect sense.

'This is exactly why Rufus picked me to be his next-of-kin. He wanted no part of your family bickering and disturbing rituals. I will take no part in them either. Rufus is at peace and he will be honoured as I see fit. This has no part of his funeral or his memorial.' Aloysius snapped, dropping the vial and stalking away angrily.

'How dare you disrespect my family like that!' McKenzie roared, chasing after Aloysius.

Turning smoothly, Aloysius dodged the wild tackle and moved back, mind whirling into action to create a plan to deal with this young upstart. He'd been pushed to the brink and he wasn't going to be pushed any further. Now was the time to snap back and put this brat back into his position. Feet set and fists up, Aloysius readied to engage the young man in the fight to decide their rivalry.

McKenzie took the bait, launching up and going at Aloysius with everything that he had. Defending against every sloppy hit, Aloysius kept stepping back, allowing McKenzie to think he had the edge in this fight. Ducking punches and blocking poorly executed kicks, Aloysius kept giving ground, tracking his location with his peripheral vision and waiting for the right moment to turn. Sure, it would have been easier to just deck the kid and be done with it but Aloysius was hoping for something more permanent.

Splitting his focus to parry away a wide left hook and a right kick, Aloysius left his face open and paid the price, catching a heavy blow to the head by McKenzie's right fist. Glasses going flying, Aloysius howled in pain, losing his balance and going down hard. Rolling to the left, Aloysius scrambled to his knees and pushed up, listening intently and trying to avoid the incoming blows.

Suddenly they were surrounded by the sounds of running feet and screaming voices. One hand pressed to his eyes, Aloysius dropped to one knee, back-counting his steps and scrabbling forward. Taking a guess going off the angle of the punch and where he'd fallen, Aloysius launched and snagged his glasses, fingers closing around the black frames just as someone stepped on his hand. Lunging forward again, Aloysius knocked whoever it was off his hand and retreated, scrambling backwards with his prize, injured left hand cradled to his chest.

He kept going backwards until someone grabbed him around the shoulders and stopped him short. Uncurling his left hand slowly, hissing as it throbbed and warm blood dripped over his knuckles, Aloysius yanked his glasses out and checked the lenses by feel.

'You okay, Aloysius?' Ricky's voice in his ear and a strong hand curled over his shoulder. 'You're a mess, just hold still. The corpsman is on the way.'

'Thanks Ricky.' Aloysius uttered, relaxing back against his friend and trying to calm his pounding headache. 'I should have known McKenzie would try that.'

'I'm surprised you didn't put him in his place.' Ricky remarked, careful to keep his voice down so the DI's didn't hear them.

'Nah let the Drill Instructors handle McKenzie. This recruit intends to graduate.' Aloysius shrugged, listening to the voices around him. 'Sounds like McKenzie is getting one hell of a smoke session nearby.'

'Three Drill Instructors are on him. DI Anderson is coming this way.' Ricky uttered, drawing back a little and shifting against Aloysius' back.

'You intact, recruit?' Anderson asked, crouching beside Aloysius.

'Reasonably, Sir! This recruit believes his nose is broken and someone stepped on his left hand, Sir!' Aloysius replied, tucking his glasses into the collar of his shirt for now.

'I believe that was me, recruit.' Anderson offered; the closest thing to an apology Aloysius expected to get from Anderson.

'This recruit apologises for assaulting you, Sir!' Aloysius tried, not sure what else to say but he was playing it safe.

'None of that now, recruit. I should have checked your location.' Anderson corrected, curling one hand around Aloysius' arm. 'Up you get. Recruit Thompson, go fetch a chair for this recruit.'

'Yes, Sir!' Ricky replied, turning and racing away as quickly as he could.

'What happened out here, recruit?' Anderson asked, guiding Aloysius towards the shade.

'This recruit was taking some alone time to reminisce about his fallen friend when recruit McKenzie approached, Sir. He tried to force his beliefs onto his recruit regarding proper funerary rites, Sir. This recruit resisted and attempted to leave the situation, Sir. Recruit McKenzie followed and engaged this recruit in unarmed combat against the rules, Sir. This recruit was attempting to lead recruit McKenzie to where he would be seen but was unable to complete the mission as planned, Sir.' Aloysius explained, right hand pressing against his nose in an attempt to stem the blood flow.

Settling into the chair Ricky had found, Aloysius leant back and let the corpsman check him over for any further injuries. He's gotten off fairly lightly really. A broken nose was easily set back into place and his hand wasn't as badly damaged as he'd feared. There were just a few small cuts and one larger one running right across the back of his hand. A couple of stitches and a clean dressing and he was clear to go.

'You were lucky this time, recruit.' the corpsman offered, squeezing his shoulder before walking away. 'Try to stay out of trouble next time.'

'Yes, Sir.' Aloysius nodded, donning his glasses and looking down at his hand. 'May this recruit go wash the blood off his face, Sir?'

'Not just yet, recruit. Let the Senior Drill Instructor see you then you can go wash up.' Anderson replied, resting one hand on Aloysius' shoulder for a moment. 'Why didn't you say something about this problem with recruit McKenzie?'

'This recruit believed that the Drill Instructors had been informed of the trouble, Sir. Recruit McKenzie has been against this recruit from day 1, Sir.' Aloysius replied, looking up at Anderson.

'Ah yes, I remember now. He cold clocked you behind the door into the medical checks.' Anderson nodded, turning his gaze over to where McKenzie was going through one hell of a smoke session.

'Yes, Sir. Knocked a tooth out, Sir.' Aloysius replied, just glad that the tooth he'd lost then had been replaced and anchored back into his jaw properly.

Hanging his head, Aloysius couldn't quite suppress the shiver that ran through his body. His plans for a smooth transition from ex-Bounty Hunter to Marine were falling apart, he couldn't hope to meet Scarecrow's expectations if he was constantly getting into trouble due to this damned rivalry with young McKenzie.

'I'm sorry buddy, I just don't know if I can do this anymore. I'm trying but your damned family won't leave me alone. If you're up there, watching all of this, give me a sign that I'm on the right path. Give me something, I can't deal with your fucking nephew and become the best man I can be.' Aloysius uttered, giving up on trying looking strong and dependable. He was hurting and lost and really just wanted someone to care.

Looking up when Anderson touched his shoulder, Aloysius blinked in disbelief as the DI handed him a photo. Turning it over, Aloysius' jaw dropped in disbelief. It was one of his favourite photos, taken by a friendly local in Paris one perfect summer day. Standing together outside Notre Dame, wearing blue jeans and tee-shirts, they were at peace, content to just be tourists while there was a chance. Rufus' wicked sense of humour was once again on display, his white tee-shirt emblazoned with a black arrow pointing down towards his right hip and the words I'm With Shortie.

'Thanks Rufus. You'll always be with me, no matter what happens. I still can't believe you got me with that one but I'm damned glad you did. I still miss you with every breath but I'm learning to live with the pain.' Aloysius nodded, tracing his fingers over the image. 'Every day in your memory. It's hard but I will never quit.'

Drawing out the bundle of photos he'd put in his pocket, Aloysius slipped the precious image back in with the rest and bound them together with a dark green ribbon. Making sure the ribbon was firm and none of the photos could slip out again, he tucked the bundle back into his pocket until he could return them to his footlocker.

'Thank you, Sir.' Aloysius offered, looking up at DI Anderson with a faint smile.

'Next time, recruit, just come and talk to one of us.' Anderson advised, returning the bare hint of a smile. 'We all know what it's like to struggle.'

'Yes, Sir.' Aloysius replied, tensing up as the SDI approached but Anderson signalled for him to stay seated as he marched out to meet the SDI.

Finally McKenzie was giving a chance to rest, the other three DI's heading to talk with the SDI about what they had learnt regarding the fight. Aloysius noted with some satisfaction that McKenzie seemed to have learnt something from the smoke session. He was flat on the ground, ready to recommence pushing if he was given the order.

Getting to his feet as the SDI approached him, Aloysius held his ground despite his pounding head and straightened up, meeting him with all the dignity he could muster. Senior Drill Instructor Gibbs was a man to fear, he was a combat veteran of four tours and it showed. Tall and broad, he towered over all of the recruits and their DI's, his voice like thunder when he barked at the recruits that dared to step out of line.

'I hear you were in a fight, recruit.' Gibbs stated, stopping in front of Aloysius.

'No, Sir! This recruit was only trying to defend his person against an unprovoked attack from recruit McKenzie, Sir!' Aloysius replied, ignoring the blood he could taste as it dripped off his lip.

'You could have easily beaten recruit McKenzie and yet you did not, why?' Gibbs demanded, looking Aloysius over quickly.

'This recruit wants no part of a rivalry with recruit McKenzie, Sir. This recruit simply wishes to complete this training to the very best of his abilities, Sir. This recruit has nothing against recruit McKenzie, Sir. This recruit understands that using his prior training to harm another recruit would likely mean an instant separation from service, Sir.' Aloysius offered, picking his thoughts carefully and trying not to irritate Gibbs.

'A wise decision, recruit.' Gibbs nodded, hard grey eyes flashing with anger. 'Show me your hand.'

Really starting to worry now, Aloysius offered up his injured hand, keeping his arm relaxed as Gibbs examined the neat dressing and nodded slowly, releasing Aloysius' hand. Dropping his hand back to his side, Aloysius was really hoping that he would be allowed to go wash up before his blood stained his uniform.

'Go wash up recruit and double time to my office.' Gibbs ordered, stepping back sharply.

'Yes, Sir!' Aloysius snapped, turning sharply and breaking straight into an easy run.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Coming back from the SDI's office, Aloysius had a spring in his step. Gibbs wasn't quite as tough as he'd first thought, he was a fair man who understood how hard it could be when you were years older than almost everyone around you. For the first time since coming to Parris Island, Aloysius had felt young again as they discussed what to do about McKenzie. They had come to a compromise about him and spent a little while talking about their past deployments before Aloysius was dismissed and had to snap back to being a good little recruit.

Entering the barracks, he paused at the back of the group, listening to the DI's as they gave the rest of the platoon a lecture on loyalty and teamwork. Having a few quiet words with DI Jackson, Aloysius turned sharply and came up along the starboard side of the group, looking steadfastly ahead as he walked.

'Here recruits, is half the reason why we are having this discussion.' DI Anderson barked, drawing all eyes to Aloysius for a moment.

'Recruit McKenzie! Report to the Senior Drill Instructor's office! Double time!' Jackson snapped, passing on the message Knight had carried with him.

'Yes, Sir!' McKenzie replied, getting to his feet and running from the barracks.

'Recruit Knight, why don't you tell the platoon what happened. Just this once, I'll let you use personal pronouns.' Anderson suggested, pleased with how Knight handled the situation and wanting the other recruits to know.

'Yes, Sir.' Aloysius nodded, taking a seat on his footlocker and waiting for his friends to take their positions around him like this was any other of his stories.

It really was something to see Knight entrance all his fellow recruits, simply by sitting on his footlocker and resting his elbows on his knees. They all hurried to gather around him, curving rows sitting together and waiting to hear his latest snippet of wisdom.

'You all know that I am not a religious man, I've seen too many things to believe there's some all powerful being up there directing our every move. I believe that there is a place up there where our deceased friends and family go when their time with us is over. I spend my Sundays in peaceful solitude, remembering the friends I have lost and preparing for another week without them. This morning, I was enjoying a quiet moment of remembrance for my closest friend when recruit McKenzie approached. He handed me a small glass vial containing ashes, ashes that had once been part of his great-grandfather and demanded that I place the ashes either at the grave of Lieutenant McKenzie or with his memorial. Lieutenant McKenzie chose me to be his next-of-kin because he knew I would give him respect and dedication far beyond what his family would allow him. As such, it was my decision regarding his funeral. I gave him everything he deserved and saw that he was laid to rest with all the dignity and respect that he had earned in life. Rufus never wanted to be part of the disturbing rituals of his family. I told recruit McKenzie exactly this and dropped the vial to let him know that his family had no hold over me or their deceased son. I attempted to leave the situation, knowing that recruit McKenzie would not stop until he felt that his family legacy would continue. It was at this point that recruit McKenzie attempted to engage me in unarmed combat. I know that my prior training gives me an edge in unarmed combat so I made the choice not to strike back, as tempting as it was to put him down again. I allowed him to think that he was winning the fight by continuing to give ground but in truth, I was aiming to lead him around the building so one of the Drill Instructors might see what was going on and put a stop to it without me needing to get physical on McKenzie. Recruit McKenzie did get in a couple of lucky shots but I can hold my head up high knowing that I kept the moral ground by not responding to his unprovoked violence with force.' Aloysius explained, looking around at his fellow recruits slowly and waiting for them to make up your own minds.

'But what about your hand?' Andrew Richards asked, dark eyes locked on Knight's bandaged hand.

'This happened during the aftermath. The same hit that broke my nose, knocked my glasses off. Using back-counting and working from the angle of recruit McKenzie's swing, I was able to estimate where they were likely to have fallen. Reaching out, I grasped my glasses just as someone stepped on my hand. I do not know who it was but whoever it was might need to check their boots for foreign objects. Somewhere along the way before contact was made with my hand, whoever stepped on me picked up something sharp, possibly a piece of broken glass. The injury is minor but the corpsman still sutured and dressed it to be sure of a good heal up.' Aloysius grinned, subtly looking up at DI Anderson for a second.

It was so easy for Aloysius to sit there and discuss the virtues that the DI's were trying to instil in all of them. His fellow recruits were attentive and curious, asking their questions and finding their own lessons in the answers Aloysius' gave. Even the four DI's standing around the room had questions, something that Aloysius felt was pretty rare. He did his best to answer their elaborate questions, delving deeper into his past and pulling out examples from his time in the Army. Even now, when he'd proven that he was the better man and shown he had supreme control of his unarmed combat skills in both the offensive and defensive, he would never speak of his time as a lone wolf. Those times were for him alone, the lessons learnt there were not for anyone else.

Someone mentioned Rufus and Aloysius had to pause before answering, taking a few steadying breaths before turning to look at who had spoken. Toby Andrews was a good kid, short and scrawny but he was determined to pass and make something of his life.

'Toby, we all have people in our lives that have shaped who we are. Lieutenant Rufus McKenzie taught me a lot in the ten years I knew him. Much of what I learnt from Rufus is specific to my life and my situation. The lessons he taught this old warrior are not right for young men like you. In time you will all find your own inspirational figures, people that you want to live up to and be like as you grow up and become men. Rufus is my inspiration, my guiding figure through life and my reason to keep getting up when I'm thrown to the ground.' Aloysius replied, looking around slowly and seeing that some of his friends were nodding. 'Richards, you seem to get what I'm talking about. You have your own inspirational figure, don't you?'

'Have since day one, Aloysius.' Richards drawled, lifting his gaze. 'Drill Instructor Jackson is my greatest inspiration.'

'Good to know something is getting into your head, Richards.' DI Jackson nodded, looking down at Richards with the tiniest hint of a smile on his stern face.

'Is it wrong to think of you as my greatest inspiration?' Ricky asked, looking up at Aloysius with such trust.

'Ricky, I'm honoured that you see me that way but in time, I do hope you find someone even better. You don't want to turn out like I have. You don't need a history like mine. Trust me on this one Ricky, you do not want to be the twice around screw up that I am.' Aloysius sighed, shaking his head quickly. 'those are my secrets, you don't need to know the bad choices I've made in the past but trust me when I say I've made far too many and now I'm paying for it.'

Before there could be anymore questions, the DI's reclaimed control of the platoon, sending everyone scrambling outside for a hard session before lunch. Grabbing their guidon, Aloysius made to follow but DI Anderson called him back and made his wait. This was strange and Aloysius didn't like it, the routine was broken and that usually meant trouble.

'I always knew there was something off about you, Knight. Never have I heard of a recruit your age attempting this, much less succeeding. Then I heard that Captain Schofield was providing support letters for you and writing to you every week, I realised that you were something special.' Anderson started, watching Aloysius closely as he spoke.

'This recruit is not authorised to tell of his connection with Captain Schofield, Sir! If you wish to know the truth, you will have to speak with Captain Schofield, Sir!' Aloysius replied, clinging to his secrets and hoping Shane did the same if Anderson contacted him.

'You're a strange one, recruit. Get outta my sight.' Anderson growled, gaze hardening again.

'Yes, Sir!' Aloysius responded, shouldering the guidon and running from the room.


	7. Rising To Glory

Reaching the halfway point in their training, Aloysius was discovering that he didn't need to hold back anymore. His fellow recruits were all achieving beyond expectations and some were actually proving to be a challenge for Knight to stay ahead of. He eased back on his lessons to them and focused on staying ahead, pushing his body to the limit and studying hard for the classes as well. It was starting to hurt now, the workload was getting heavier but Aloysius was focused, the end was in sight and so was that coveted position behind Shane.

The only thing that really hadn't changed was McKenzie's attitude towards Knight. He was still looking for chances to beat Knight at whatever they were doing but everyone knew it wasn't going to happen. Ever since losing his evening free time, McKenzie had lost his chances to eavesdrop on whatever was being discussed and his scores had suffered because of it. Now he was barely managing to scrape through while the rest of the platoon consistently scored highly.

There had been some great times over the weeks, times when Aloysius got to show that he was still the best in the class and times when he was left choking in the dust after being thoroughly beaten but they were all good memories. His friends still laughed about the day they'd all gone into the gas chamber and Aloysius had gotten one over DI Anderson in an innocent little game. He'd paid for it afterwards with one hell of a smoke session but it had been totally worth it.

After being caught out by various noxious gases over the years, facing the gas chamber and the CS gas was easy for Knight so when he'd been told to remove his mask, he couldn't resist showing off just a little bit. Showing no reaction to the gas, Aloysius stood proudly and belted out the first verse of the Marine's Hymn. He would have kept going but DI Anderson growled at him to shut up and put his mask back on. Responding sharply, Aloysius did as ordered and returned to his spot, glancing down at Ricky beside him.

Released from the gas chamber, Aloysius was grateful for the fresh air but he still looked none the worse for wear as he walked it off with the rest of his platoon. Young McKenzie was really suffering, he ended up hunched over throwing up, one taste of the gas too much for him. Aloysius had to bite his tongue at the sighted Anderson though. By the looks of things, he'd attempted to replicate what Knight had done inside and had failed miserably.

The pugil sticks had been fun as well, a chance for blossoming warriors to go head to head safely and beat each other around. McKenzie had been bragging about giving Aloysius a beat down but no one believed he could. He certainly tried, three times, but each time he came up against Knight, McKenzie kissed the ground in seconds. The third one was truly shameful for McKenzie. He'd come in with his pugil stick raised and Aloysius calmly dropped to one knee, belted him in the chest and flipped him over his shoulder in one smooth motion.

Coming up against Ricky, Aloysius knew he'd been right to believe in the scrawny little kid. He gave as good as he got then turned one of Knight's tricks against him and dumped the older man onto his back. Laughing as he regained his feet, Aloysius clapped Ricky on the back and stepped down, quite pleased by just how far Ricky had come since the first day.

'About time you tasted some humble pie, Knight.' McKenzie called, glaring hard at Knight.

'Wasn't humble pie, McKenzie. Thompson's good enough, you have been found lacking.' Aloysius replied, returning to his spot and settling again.

Week six had been a real eye opener for everyone that thought they knew what Knight was capable of. It was their introduction to combat marksmanship and Aloysius had given it his all, answering questions and even daring to correct the instructor on a couple of things. That got him another session with Anderson but Knight didn't mind. It had been worth it to see the combat instructor doing a great goldfish impersonation.

~#~#~#~#~#~

T36 and Aloysius was really starting to feel the aftermath of his latest smart comment. He'd called DI Anderson out on a uniform error and had just had the dubious pleasure of a six mile run with DI Jackson yelling at him. It could have been worse; DI Anderson was really gunning for him lately, DI Ruiz had been against him from day one and DI Mitchell was an asshole to everyone so really, Aloysius had gotten off lightly.

Coming around the last corner and approaching the barracks, Aloysius grinned at the sight of three familiar faces standing there waiting for him. DI Jackson was still yelling but he suddenly went quiet when he spotted the trio and recognised them from the stories he'd heard. Those three were the stuff of legends. Regaining his composure, Jackson went back to motivating Knight, trying to seem more impressive to the waiting trio.

Rolling his eyes behind his glasses, Aloysius mostly ignored DI Jackson and kept running, glad to be seeing his friends again after so long. Part of him was hoping that they would call him aside but part of him was looking forward to getting back with his platoon.

'Come here, recruit.' Schofield called, turning to face Knight fully. 'Drill Instructor, dismissed!'

'Yes, Sir!' Aloysius replied, picking up the pace and near sprinting to where the trio were standing.

'Yes, Sir!' Jackson echoed, turning and heading for the barracks.

'Recruit Knight!' Anderson roared, narrowly avoiding getting run over by Knight. 'Front and center!'

Making a fast call, Knight slid to a stop and came back to stand in front of Anderson. Snapping to attention, he knew he was walking a fine line but he had rank to back him now. Listening to Anderson rant about proper respect and care, Aloysius fought hard to keep the smirk of his face as the bigger man hesitated for a moment, continued his rant and suddenly went quiet.

'Captain Schofield, Sir!' Anderson acknowledged, offering a respectful salute.

'Staff Sergeant Anderson, you had better have a good reason to call this recruit aside after I called for him.' Schofield demanded, coming up beside Knight.

'No, Sir!' Anderson replied, outranked and left with nowhere to turn.

'I thought as much.' Schofield nodded, folding his arms across his chest. 'Drop and give me twenty then get out of my sight!'

'Yes, Sir!' Anderson barked, hitting the ground and pushing hard through his twenty.

'I didn't think Anderson could still move that fast.' Mother remarked, shaking her head in wonder as Anderson sprinted back towards the barracks.

Aloysius knew it was a bad idea but he couldn't help it anymore, he cracked up laughing. It was so good to see Anderson get a taste of his own medicine after all the hell the bullish DI had put him through over the last six weeks. Maybe now Anderson would remember that Aloysius had some powerful reasons to complete his training and nothing would stop him.

'So, how've you been holding up?' Shane asked once Aloysius was back under control.

'Pretty good, isn't as hard here as I thought it would be.' Aloysius shrugged, looking around at his friends. 'What brings you three out here?'

'One of the other platoons needed some extra motivation so we came to whip them into shape. It seems to have worked but we'll see how they go as they continue.' Shane replied, pointing back over his shoulder. 'Been hearing some good things about your platoon though.'

'Good kids for the most. Gave them some extra help in the first phase but they don't really need it anymore. There's one slacker but I won't waste my time on him. He's a McKenzie and a right little shit. He's been against me from day one, taking cheap shots and generally being a brat.' Aloysius nodded, unhooking his canteen and drinking deep. 'It's so fucking nice to see Anderson copping it, he's been riding my ass for the last couple of weeks.'

'Then let's go rub it in a little more.' Mother suggested, slinging a heavy arm around Knight's shoulders. 'He must fucking hate it that you're friends with us.'

'Haven't told him about it.' Aloysius grinned, leading his friends back towards his barracks. 'The other recruits are going to freak out. I've been telling them stories of loyalty, courage and commitment, all revolving around you.'

'Just don't forget that you're still a recruit too.' Buck warned, bringing up the rear of the little group.

'No fear, Sir. Give me a couple of minutes then come inside.' Aloysius nodded, breaking away and heading inside to rejoin his platoon.

When Schofield led his small unit into the barracks, he frowned at the sight of Knight down on the floor, pushing for all he was worth. Anderson was all over him, barking about poor behaviour and making his DI look like a fool.

'Drill Instructor Anderson!' Schofield roared, making everyone jump. 'I thought I made it clear that I did not want to see you again!'

'Yes, Sir! Won't happen again, Sir!' Anderson nodded, leaving Knight on the floor and hustling out of the barracks again.

'Recruit Knight, get into formation.' Schofield continued, turning his gaze to the other three DI's in the room. 'I trust no one else has any complaints about our presence here.'

'No, Sir!' the three remaining DI's replied, standing to attention and staring straight ahead.

Taking his place in the front of the formation, Knight caught his breath and looked up at the trio, waiting to see just what they would say or do. All around him, the other recruits were nervous, eyes darting around the three serving Marines in their Blue Dress C uniforms. They looked imposing, staring down at the recruits as the stood there.

'At ease recruits.' Shane nodded, glancing at the nearest rack. 'Whose rack is this?'

'Mine, Sir! Recruit Knight, Sir!' Aloysius replied, so proud of his position and the guidon displayed where it belonged.

'You keep a good rack, recruit.' Shane offered, moving to sit on Aloysius' perfectly made rack.

'Thank you, Sir.' Aloysius nodded, soaking up the praise after so long without any that was given genuinely and with good intentions.

'Recruits, I am Captain Shane M. Schofield, the Scarecrow. This is Gunnery Sergeant Newman and Sergeant Riley.' Shane continued, hidden eyes sweeping over the gathered recruits. 'We heard that you're the best chance for honour platoon at your graduation as we had to see if you really were as good as stated. Are you good enough?'

'Yes, Sir!' the recruits called, fired up and feeling good about themselves.

'I can't hear you. Are you good enough?' Mother challenged, looking down at the recruits and folding her arms.

'Yes, Ma'am!' they replied, ramping up and looking to prove they were good enough.

'Then get out there and prove it!' Buck snapped, glancing at Mother for a second.

'Yes, Sir!' the recruits acknowledged, scrambling up and filing out of the barracks for their next class. Careful not to make contact with the trio, Knight grabbed the guidon and sprinted after them, quickly reclaiming his place at the head of the platoon and waiting for orders.

~#~#~#~#~#~

By the end of the day, the recruits were all absolutely exhausted but still feeling pretty good about themselves. It had been one thing to go through their classes with three highly regarded Marines alongside them but it had been a whole different matter when afternoon PT rolled around. Instead of just standing back and watching, the three older Marines got their hands on suitable PT uniforms and leapt right in alongside the recruits.

The DI's had just stood back and watched the recruits training harder than ever. It really was impressive to see every recruit giving it their all just to keep up with the three old hands. They didn't stand a chance but that wasn't going to stop any of the recruits from trying. Even McKenzie sparked up, pushing his body to the limit and beyond in a contest against Riley.

Mother got a lot of stares with her prosthetic, the shining exterior catching eyes and drawing gazes as the recruits tried to figure out what had happened to her. Aware of the attention, Mother challenged the recruits to guess what had happened and promised a few hard-earned combat tips to whoever guessed correctly. Then she shot Knight a warning look, letting him know to keep his damned mouth shut.

Naturally the recruits all had varying answers, some a little weirder than others but at least they were trying. Ricky asked if it was an IED injury, Mother had praised his thinking but stated that he was incorrect. McKenzie, being a typical smartass, asked if it was a birth defect. Mother laughed and told him he was an idiot before giving him a few extra push-ups to think about his answer.

When none of the recruits could come up with anything close to the right answer, Mother threw the question out to the DI's, checking to see if they had any idea about her injury. They took a swipe at the question, suggesting ideas that went beyond standard Marine thinking. Mitchell got close with his suggestion of an injury during a top secret operation in some desolate outpost.

Still working through the PT, Mother stared at Mitchell for a moment before nodding slowly and looking back to the recruits. She wasn't going to give in that easily, the DI's didn't need her combat secrets. She would give Mitchell a few secrets but there was still a chance for the recruits to redeem themselves. She called for the recruits to guess the location, figuring they couldn't all be that dense. Someone would surely call the right place.

Apparently she was wrong. 68 recruits answered her but not one of them got even close to the right location. Admitting that maybe these recruits were dense, Mother turned her attention to Knight, waiting for him to make a suggestion. But instead Aloysius simply indicated Ricky on the next pull-up bar along.

'Recruit Thompson! I expect an answer to the question!' Mother called, not sure where Knight was leading but she would follow.

'Yes, Ma'am!' Ricky replied, working through his reps steadily as all eyes turned to him. 'This recruit selects Antarctica, Ma'am!'

'Well I'll be fucked. How'd you come to that answer, recruit?' Mother asked, watching Ricky closely as he dropped off the bar.

'Process of elimination, Ma'am!' Ricky offered, keeping his word about not giving up Knight's uttered guidance. 'Every other desolate place I could think of was already taken, Ma'am.'

'Smart guess, I was in Antarctica when this happened.' Mother nodded, getting to her feet. 'Come on, you've earned some special Marine secrets.'

'Thank you, Ma'am.' Ricky nodded, following Mother as she headed away from the group to give him a little one-on-one training.

Called aside for a little one-on-one work of his own, Aloysius fell into place beside Buck and pushed, keeping in rhythm with the younger man. It was nice to be able to relax and reconnect with friends after weeks without hearing their voices. Their weekly letters helped but to actually be able to talk with them was a beautiful thing.

'You look like you're practically cruising.' Buck remarked, powerful shoulders rippling as he lifted off the ground.

'The first six weeks were easy, I really was cruising back then. But now, these youngsters are pushing me harder, they've learnt their lessons and now they're making me pay for teaching them a few things in the early weeks.' Aloysius replied, glancing back towards the rest of his platoon.

'Still think you can make it to the end?' Buck asked, looking up as Shane started pushing the recruits to move faster.

'I've made it this far, I'll make it to the end. I might be 15 years older and I might have come into this carrying a few pounds over these kids but I have my own advantages over them. I'm wiser, stronger, faster and more experienced with military life.' Aloysius grinned, listening to the call behind him and switching pace to match.

'You're not showing the other recruits up too much, I hope.' Buck teased, working up a sweat as he upped the pace to match everyone else.

'Only as much as I have to in order to maintain my place at the top.' Aloysius smirked, his determination shining through.

'I'd expect nothing less.' Buck nodded, not at all surprised by Knight's conviction to be the best and get through training at the top of his platoon.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Managing to squeeze in a few minutes of conversation with his friends among all of the training, Aloysius felt completely reinspired to push on as they prepared to say goodbye for another six weeks. It was easier to say goodbye now, plans were in motion and everything would work out in the end for the old friends.

'Here, if Anderson gets all up you again, give him this.' Shane offered, holding out a sealed letter.

'I'll save it for a day he's really being an asshole.' Aloysius grinned, folding the letter up and stashing it in his pocket.

'Take care, Aloysius. The Crucible is coming and it's always a killer. Work hard, keep plenty in reserve and blend with your platoon. You will need all of them to get through there.' Mother warned, yanking him into a big bear hug.

'I've got just about all of them onside, McKenzie will always be the sticking point but we'll make it through.' Aloysius nodded, returning the hug as best as he could. 'I will graduate, even if I have to drag McKenzie along by the short and curlies.'

'That's the spirit, Aloysius. Good luck, it only gets worse from here on out.' Buck added, clapping him on the back.

'I'm ready. I promised Rufus I'd find my feet and my new place. The only way to do that is the get through training and take my place among you. With him watching over me, I can't fail.' Aloysius chuckled, looking up at the sky for a moment.

Reaching into one of his pockets, Shane pulled out Aloysius' next-of-kin lapel pin case, holding it out in his palm. Swallowing quickly, Aloysius reached out and took the case, cradling it lightly in his palm as his mind drifted back to Rufus with a sad little sigh. Opening it up, he lifted out the small pin and gazed at it, remembering how proud he'd been to wear it every day.

'I can't keep this, Scarecrow. If the DI's find it, I'll be in so much shit.' Aloysius uttered, returning the pin to the case and offering it back.

'I already cleared it with the CO. So long as you don't wear it, you have his permission to keep it in your footlocker.' Shane corrected, reaching out to curl Aloysius' fingers over the case. 'He would want to be with you as you face the challenges ahead. More importantly, he'd want to be here for your graduation ceremony.'

'I think I know where you're going with this, Scarecrow.' Aloysius nodded, taking great comfort from the knowledge he would carry some small part of Rufus with him onto the parade ground.

Tucking the case safely in another pocket, Aloysius stepped back and came to attention, every inch a good little Marine recruit. Forming up opposite him, his friends saluted as one, silently offering their support and care until he didn't need them anymore. Returning the salute, Aloysius knew he would always need his friends, no matter what happened. These three were his anchor, together they would keep him safe.

'Best of luck, recruit.' Buck offered, lowering his hand slowly.

'Thank you, Sir!'

'No more smarting off to DI's, Knight.' Mother growled, her eyes shining with warmth but her words were sharp.

'Yes, Ma'am!'

'We'll see you at graduation.' Shane promised, fully intending to keep that promise unless they were deployed somewhere.

'This recruit would like that, Sir!'

'Dismissed!' Shane nodded, proud of Aloysius and confident he would pass with flying colours.

'Yes, Sir!' Aloysius roared, stepping back and turning sharply before marching back to barracks with his head held high.

Heading straight for his rack, Aloysius tucked the letter for Anderson in amongst all his others and pulled out the small case, running his thumb over the golden inscription on the top. There could be no mistaking what this was, all he could do was hope that McKenzie had learnt enough to leave it alone. He doubted he'd be that lucky but he had to try.

'What have you got there, recruit?' DI Mitchell asked, stopping beside Aloysius and looking at the case in his hands.

'A reminder of a dear friend, Sir.' Aloysius replied, standing and opening the case.

'That is not an authorised possession recruit.' DI Mitchell warned, holding out his hand for the case.

'Captain Schofield cleared it with the CO, Sir!' Aloysius countered, clutching the case to his chest possessively, he couldn't lose it now. 'This recruit promises to never wear it Sir. This recruit will hide it in his footlocker, Sir!'

'Recruit Knight is correct.' Senior Drill Instructor Gibbs added, coming up behind Mitchell. 'This recruit is authorised to keep his next-of-kin lapel pin so long as it is not seen on his uniform at any time. Do I make myself clear?'

'Yes, Sir! Thank you, Sir.' Aloysius nodded, dropping to one knee and quickly rearranging his footlocker to hide the precious case underneath all of his other issued gear.

'Yes, Sir!' Mitchell confirmed, really starting to wonder about Knight now.

'If anyone else touches that case or the pin inside, there will be severe consequences.' Gibbs continued, his icy grey eyes landing on McKenzie as he spoke of consequences. 'Is that understood by all of you recruits?'

'Yes, Sir!' they chorused, everyone totally focused on Gibbs.

'Knight, don't let me hear you've been showing that off either.' Gibbs nodded, snapping his gaze back to Aloysius.

'No, Sir! This recruit will show no one else, Sir!' Aloysius promised, absolutely certain of keeping that promise. He would never share his memorial with anyone here at Parris Island.

'Good. Now go get ready for bed recruit. You have fifteen minutes.' Gibbs ordered, turning away from Aloysius quickly.

'Yes, Sir!' Aloysius responded, grabbing his kit and hauling ass in the other direction.


	8. End In Sight

Grunting with the effort, Aloysius straightened up again, one hand on the wall in front of them and the other reaching up to stabilise Ricky on his shoulders. Stretching up, Ricky grabbed the top of the wall and hauled his body over the top before turning and reaching down for the next hand in the chain. Climbing up the human ladder, Andrew Richards was next to put his boot on Aloysius' shoulder and go up, working in harmony with his friends to get through the course.

One by one, they went up and over the wall, Aloysius standing his ground to give his younger friends the final boost up the wall and onwards to their next mini-goal. Surprisingly, McKenzie was knuckling under and behaving this time, going along with everyone else and not arguing with Aloysius whenever he opened his mouth. When his turn came to go up and over, McKenzie actually stood lightly on Aloysius, trying not to crush the older man as he reached up for his friends and was dragged over the wall.

It felt like an eternity to Knight but it was probably only ten minutes before he was the last man standing on this side of the wall. Backing up and looking to his friends to catch him, Aloysius ran hard and jumped, both hands reaching for his buddies up on the wall. Crunching against the heavy wooden wall, he was held firm, feet dangling uselessly in the air. Looking up, he grinned at the sight of Ricky and Toby working together to hold his weight, Andrew behind them to anchor them to the wall.

Gritting his teeth, Aloysius got his feet against the wall and pushed up and out even while pulling with his arms. He slipped twice and came close to falling out of the grasp of his friends but another hand was there, reaching behind his head to grab his webbing and help haul his ass over the wall.

'Next time, Knight. Let someone else be last man up.' McKenzie suggested, heading to join the rest of the group at the base of the wall.

'He's up to something.' Knight uttered, glancing at Ricky as they climbed down to rejoin the group.

'Don't let him get to you now.' Ricky replied, dropping to the ground and jogging away.

'Not a chance, Ricky.' Aloysius grinned, accepting his rifle back and pushing concerns about McKenzie out of his mind.

It was day one of The Crucible and everyone was feeling the pressure. They'd been on the go for hours, pushed to their limit mentally and physically and still they found the occasional reason to slap a smile on their faces and have a quiet laugh. The mere mention of The Crucible had scared them during the first few weeks but now that they were here, pulling together as friends and battle buddies, it wasn't as scary as they had all thought it would be.

In the thick of it all, Aloysius was back to being the older brother and guiding light; taking ideas from his fellow recruits and blending them together to create ideas that worked and made sure they could accomplish each mission as it was thrown at them. Even as he plucked at the ideas and bound them together into a plan, Aloysius went through it with his friends, guiding them in how to turn a bundle of half ideas into a working plan on the fly.

It was actually a nice change for Aloysius; he wasn't working with the full platoon anymore. Instead, he had just 11 friends with him and it was them against the clock and the warrior stations still ahead. Now was the time for them to shine as one or fall apart as a team. Aloysius could only hope the message stayed with McKenzie throughout this and his life after training.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Coming to another warrior station and listening to the brief, Aloysius had a few ideas about how it could be done but it was Ricky that perked up first. The challenge seemed easy enough but looks could be deceiving. All they had to do was get every member of their team through the rope web strung between two trees without touching any of the ropes.

'If Knight, Andrews and Williams go through these three bottom holes, they should be strong enough to catch the rest of the team as we pass them through the upper holes.' Ricky suggested, pointing to the three strongest members of the team.

'We should keep one base hole open. The last man on that side will be stuck otherwise.' McKenzie countered, shaking his head quickly.

'Not necessarily, McKenzie. I know I can lift Thompson, if he's the last man through we can make it work regardless of whichever hole is left over.' Aloysius nodded, looking at the web again.

'Let's get it done.' Ricky grinned, getting up and heading for the web.

Careful not to touch the ropes, the big three crawled through first, slinging their rifles and turning back to the web in readiness. Picking the lightweights, Ricky got the team organised and started lifting the smaller, lighter recruits up to the highest web gaps. Reaching up, Aloysius braced Andrew Richards as he was pushed through, walking his hands along the young man's back and guiding him safely to the ground. Ricky was already on the move, organising the lift of Robbie Davis up and through the next hole into the safe grasp of Daniel Williams.

Taking a knee, Toby Andrews reached through the left end of the second row, grabbing hold of Liam Jones' belt and guiding him through carefully. Getting with the program, Aloysius ducked under Daniel's reaching arms and coaxed Tommy Goldman through to him. Sliding the youngster across his thigh, Aloysius kept him away from the ropes and saw him through safely.

Singularly or two at a time, the catch team guided their friends through until it was just Ricky left on the other side. But now they had another problem. Due to a mistake along the way, the gap Aloysius had selected for Ricky's passage through had been taken by someone else and so now Ricky was all alone and facing the central gap in the top row.

Taking charge, Aloysius lined the group up by height and climbed up onto their hands. Easing out along the row carefully, he kept going until half his body was hanging over on Ricky's side. Reaching down, he grabbed Ricky by the hands and pulled, hauling the younger man up off the ground quickly.

'What's the plan, Knight?' Ricky asked, holding on tight and looking up at Aloysius.

'Over my shoulder and down the line, Ricky. We've got you.' Aloysius grinned, releasing his left hand and grabbing Ricky's webbing.

Climbing up over Aloysius' back, Ricky squeezed through the gap and wriggled down, using the raised hands of their friends to pull his body along until he could safely roll off the line. Back up the top of the line, Aloysius sat up again and reached back through the gap, waiting for someone else to give him a hand.

Coming up to assist, Ricky and McKenzie grabbed his hands and pulled, yanking Aloysius back through the web as the rest of the group moved back to give him room to fall. Landing lightly, Aloysius stood and looked back at the web, a proud little grin on his face.

'How did you know that would work?' Ricky asked, looking up at Aloysius with a grin.

'Lessons from the past.' Aloysius shrugged, turning and leading his small team towards the waiting Drill Instructor. 'Last time, the web was a lot more dangerous.'

~#~#~#~#~#~

Groaning faintly when he was tapped to play casualty, Aloysius let out a cry and dropped, ignoring the mud that splashed his face and waiting for his buddies to come back for him. He was really surprised when McKenzie was one of the first back to him, grabbing his webbing and attempting to haul him to safety. Robbie Davis and Tommy Goldman were soon there as well, Tommy grabbing his webbing and Robbie protecting them all as the group started to crawl through the mud.

All around them, the rest of the team kept moving forward, continuing along with their assigned paths and ready to jump in to help drag Knight through the infiltration course. Trying to stay loose and relaxed, Aloysius let them haul him away, ignoring the discomfort and trusting them to do things correctly.

It was so hard to keep his mouth shut and not offer his friends a few words of support as they struggled but Aloysius knew that he'd been picked so the others could have another chance to develop without him showing the way.

'Incoming!' Ricky roared, responding to the whistle of a pseudo mortar round. Aloysius was definitely shocked when McKenzie launched to protect him, his smaller frame draped over Aloysius' head and chest to guard him from shrapnel.

Rolling clear after a minute or so, McKenzie and Goldman took up the slack and kept going, pushing each other to keep working at the task. They both looked down when the weight suddenly came off them. Coming up behind them, Daniel Williams was pushing against Knight's feet, working in rhythm with them to pick up the pace a little more. Daniel was proving to be a surprise, he had always been one of the lower ranked recruits in the platoon but right now he was busting his ass, pushing Knight with one hand and dragging an ammo crate with the other.

Releasing his grip, Goldman rolled clear and brought his rifle up again, moving up to provide cover as Davis hit the ground and took over pulling. McKenzie moved clear a minute later, opening up the spot for Richards to take his turn dragging their simulated dead weight along behind. Jones joined the effort a few minutes later, nudging Williams out of the way and giving it his best shot.

Listening to his friends as they called instructions and shared the burdens around, Aloysius couldn't help but feel so very proud of them all. Despite their differences and their varying backgrounds, they were pulling as one, taking over from each other so no one became over fatigued this early in the exercise.

'Andrews and Williams, move up to the fence. Try to hold it up enough for us to slip Knight under without snagging.' McKenzie ordered, coming back to Knight's side and checking their rear for danger. 'Davis and Richards, do your best to get him through. Taylor and Lopez are ready to receive on the other side.'

Aloysius really had to bite his tongue then. It was bad enough these youngsters were dragging him through the mud and puddles but now they had to get him under another fence. Aloysius was mentally cursing the DI's for putting the kids through this but he knew it was for their own good. All Aloysius could do was try and relax and hope they were all paying attention and knew how to do this without tearing his uniform or leaving him with dirty cuts from the slowly rusting wire.

He needn't have worried so much; the boys were pulling together and blending their unique abilities to create their own slightly different stye. Their biggest men were under the wire, using their rifles to hold it up to leave enough clear space to slide him through. Shoved forwards again by Jones, Aloysius felt the hands on his webbing change and he was yanked through, sliding to a stop between Jack Taylor and Alberto Lopez.

The pace was slow but they were moving steadily, everyone taking their turn to drag him and their equipment through the mud and the puddles. The weirdest thing was McKenzie's behaviour though. Whenever one of the simulated mortar rounds went off, he was there protecting Aloysius, risking his own safety to protect the casualty.

'You're a strange one, McKenzie.' Aloysius uttered when McKenzie did it for the fourth time.

'Let's just say I've had some time to think.' McKenzie replied, launching off Knight and getting the team moving again.

Reaching the pre-marked point that the DI's had told them about, McKenzie surprised Knight again by stepped up and hauling Knight over his shoulders to complete the run away from this section of the course. It wasn't the most comfortable carry for Knight but it also wasn't the worst carry he'd ever endured.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Day two and spirits were flagging. Going on just four hours of sleep with little to eat and no let up from the relentless pace, everyone was stretched to their breaking points and more than a little snappish. They were all hurting and yet somewhere they found the strength and the fortitude to rally again and do it all over again.

The night infiltration mission the night before had seen quite a few of the guys snap but they pulled it together and kept going, completing the simulated resupply mission together. Before they'd gone to bed, Aloysius had gathered his exhausted and sore battle brothers to him and praised them all individually, pushing aside his own weariness to buck them up in readiness for the second day. It was just one more sign from him that he was a team player and respected each one of them.

Adding to their misery and making things just that little bit harder, the South Carolina skies had opened up again, soaking everyone to the skin in minutes. Calling praise back and forth, the small team of recruits ignored the rain and kept going, figuring out new ways to handle the course now that it was dripping wet and twice as muddy.

It didn't take long for everyone to be absolutely filthy, adding yet more difficulty to the situation but they did their best to keep their hands clean and dry to give them the best grip possible. Swinging across pits and up on the high ropes, this was a good thing but it was still quite the challenge to hold onto the ropes and whatever equipment they had to carry at any given time.

Tempers flared and patience was short but they refused to let anyone quit. They had come this far together and whatever happened, they were going to finish it together. This was their last stand, one final big push before it would all be worth the blood, sweat and tears.

'Think of what's coming! Tomorrow we will be Marines!' Albert Stokes called, looking around at his friends as they lay full stretch in the mud.

'No, Stokes. Today we are Marines. Tomorrow just makes it official.' Thompson replied, shielding his face as McKenzie and Knight belly-flopped into the puddle beside him.

'Oo-rah!' Aloysius grinned, barely noticing the mud on his face. 'Come on, keep moving!'

Bouncing their lead and continuing to share out their tasks and burdens with every new challenge, the small team united in the muddy conditions, dragging each other forward and demanding that everyone keep digging deeper for strength and fortitude to put one foot in front of the other. Knight kept quiet for the most, he knew he was inspiring his companions simply by being there and pushing through the pain.

12 men, 12 tired, hungry and worn down men, pushed beyond anything they'd expected or anticipated, battled through another brutal day. To anyone watching, they seemed to be one mind in 12 bodies, everyone knew what had to be done and they kept driving relentlessly towards that one goal they all wanted.

It was easy to forget how McKenzie had been against Knight from the beginning, now that people could see the younger man giving Knight a leg up when he needed it or a teasing smirk if Knight was getting ahead of the others. Knight returned the favours, catching McKenzie when he slipped or uttering a few words to fire him up when he was lagging behind.

Watching from the sidelines, even the DI's were impressed with this particular little group. Even when Knight was purposefully hanging back and letting the others figure it out, he was still inspiring them in his own special way. It was cold and wet and windy but Knight was a solid rock in the storm, almost as if the weather didn't affect him. The other members of his team seemed to take something from this, straightening up and trying so hard to show they weren't freezing their asses off but it didn't always work.

~#~#~#~#~#~

McKenzie came close to cracking just after noon on this second day of the Crucible, he'd pushed as hard as he could and he didn't have anything left to give anymore. But Aloysius was there, offering the best thing he could - a firm hand to drag him through. That had surprised McKenzie but he'd taken that hand and crawled out of the mud and the despair to continue ahead, Knight staying beside him every step of the way.

'What was started together…' Knight grinned, clapping McKenzie on the shoulder and pushing him forward once more.

'Will be finished together.' McKenzie replied, reaching back to drag Knight up beside him again.

Completing yet another warrior challenge, they were given a chance to sit and eat for a few minutes, still at the mercy of the weather but any chance to eat was precious. Huddled together under a tree for a rough shelter, pressed up tight together with their backs to the outside of the circle, they ate quickly, knowing that their break time would be over all too soon.

'Hang in there guys, it's almost over. We can do this if we just pull together.' Aloysius coaxed, glancing around and noting with some satisfaction that his friends were eating as fast as possible to not only get a good feed before they had to move on again but also to avoid tasting the food.

'That's easy for you to say, Knight. You've done this shit before.' Andrews groused, copping the worst of the driving rain on his back.

'Not like this, I've never busted my ass for this long on so little sleep and food before. Besides, you have the advantage of youth and stamina. You guys should be flogging my ass out here.' Aloysius offered, leaving his space in the circle and moving to sit behind Andrews, shielding him from the rain and wind as best he could.

'We're a team, we move as one or we don't go anywhere.' McKenzie added, looking up from his meal. 'Thanks for earlier too, Knight.'

'We all stumble along the paths of our lives, Eric.' Knight shrugged, startling the group. That was the first time he'd ever called McKenzie by his first name. 'Known since about the third day after receiving, but you were being such an ass that I figured you didn't deserve that sort of respect from me just yet.'

'You've got a mean poker face, Knight.' Ricky laughed, astounded by just how much Aloysius could hide. 'I honestly thought you hated him.'

'Nah, there was never any hate. A little rivalry from his side and a little frustration from mine but never hatred.' Aloysius replied, finishing his meal and leaning back against Andrews lightly. 'I'll admit I was tempted to put you in your place a few times, Eric. But I realised your perceptions of me were tainted by the older members of your family. It was never your doing.'

'I realised much the same thing. I was following my parents blindly, I didn't realise why Uncle Rufus picked you over them. I think I get it now.' McKenzie grinned, finishing his meal and dealing with the rubbish.

'We'll talk about this tomorrow. Right now, there's a very special honour to be earned.' Aloysius promised, getting to his feet and reaching down to haul Andrews to his feet.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Finally, much to everyone's relief, they made it back to barracks after another extremely stressful and exhausting day, showered and tumbled into their racks to sleep it off. Well, eleven tumbled into their racks but Aloysius had one vital thing to do first. Opening his footlocker, he dug down to where he'd hidden the small box containing his lapel pin. Fingers curling around it, he lifted it out and opened it, thumb tracing over the pin for a moment before he lifted out the insert and checked the surprise hidden inside.

Tipping the secret into his palm, replacing the insert and hiding the case away again, Aloysius stood and crept through the barracks, heading for McKenzie's rack. Used to working in the darkness, it didn't take Knight more than a few seconds to get the surprise tucked away where McKenzie would find it but no one else would see it unless he was stupid enough to bring it out into the light.

His mission finished for now, Aloysius crept back to his bunk and settled down, tugging the blanket up and getting comfortable. Reaching up, he touched the guidon staff above his rack and smiled, knowing that soon he would leave it behind but he would forever carry the memory of lugging it around all day every day.

Tucking his glasses under his pillow and closing his eyes, he smiled as he drifted off to sleep, looking forward to his dreams. It was the same every night; he would drift off into a fitful sleep and spend the night walking through his memories with his old friend. But tonight was different, tonight his dreams didn't take him back to memories of Rufus, tonight they took him to a parade ground that he didn't recognise.

Rufus was standing there in full uniform, looking at him with a faint smile. Looking down, Aloysius realised he was wearing his new Marine uniform and straightened up, trying to give him friend the best impression he could.

'You don't have to try and impress me, Boss. I am so proud of you but I'm also worried. You know the other recruits are concerned about your loyalty. You left the Army so they're wondering if you'll do the same now that you're a Marine. You know this; you've wondered the same thing over the last eleven weeks.' Rufus sighed, shifting to stand at ease.

'They've never questioned my loyalty…but I know they're thinking it. They all wonder why I left and why I came back to serve my country now. I know the DI's know a little more about my past; they don't understand why I gave up my Captain's bars to become a Private again. No one else really understands why I have to do this.' Aloysius nodded, relaxing his stance as well.

'Why are you doing this?' Rufus asked, his voice ringing with accusation.

'To find my place again.'

'Wrong answer. Why are you doing this Aloysius?' Rufus growled, pushing Knight to face truths he'd been ignoring since making this decision.

Hanging his head, Aloysius crumbled under the angered stare of his old friend. He knew why but he didn't want to admit his reasons. He didn't want to admit to the guilt and the pain that weighed down on him every day. He just wanted to complete his training and begin his service so he could hold his head up high and say with pride that he had a cause to believe in.

'Answer me, Private! Why are you doing this?' Rufus challenged, striding across to get right in Knight's face.

'To make amends for a life wasted! This is my punishment for my failings! I will spill my blood to pay for the deaths of those I loved! If I must give up my life, let it be in a sign of repentance for me crimes against this world!' Aloysius screamed, ignoring the shameful tears that fell as he admitted why he was so driven.

'Hold to those truths, Avenger. They will guide you home.' Rufus nodded, stepping back and saluting sharply. 'Tonight, I leave you in solitude.'

'No, I need you still Rufus.' Aloysius uttered, reaching out for his friend.

'For tonight, you need to face the reality of your choices. Tomorrow is another night.' Rufus replied and the dream faded to black.

Bolting awake with a gasp, Aloysius looked around for a moment, just checking that nothing was moving in the darkness. Relaxing slowly as he realised he hadn't woken anyone, Aloysius settled again and swore softly. The last thing he needed now was to be distracted but he'd admitted his real reasons now and he knew he would never be able to put them away. Shoving the pillow into a more comfortable shape and checking his glasses were safe, Aloysius rolled over and settled again, hoping to go back to his memories but he doubted he would be that lucky.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Up with the rest of the platoon, Knight headed straight for McKenzie's rack, needing to talk to him for a few minutes. Dressing on the move wasn't easy but it was the only way Knight had been forced into some odd situations in the past. Getting dressed while walking was fairly normal in comparison to some days.

'What's up Knight?' McKenzie asked, puling on his fatigues shirt.

'When you get a chance to be alone, check your left top pocket. Don't show anyone at all, not even your family.' Aloysius uttered, resting one hand on McKenzie's shoulder. 'No one can know. It is your remembrance.'

Glancing around and noting that the DI's were otherwise occupied, McKenzie reached into the mentioned pocket and pulled out three empty casings soldered together. On the top, Rufus' name and important dates had been engraved very carefully, creating a tiny pocket memorial for the fallen hero.

'I'll keep him safe, Aloysius.' Eric promised, tucking the memorial back out of sight. 'No one will know I have this, it is my honour to carry him with me for the rest of my life.'

'He would be so proud of you, Eric. You've come so far and now you're starting to throw off the shackles of your family.' Aloysius grinned; glad to see the change in young McKenzie. 'One day you might live up to his reputation but we'll have to see how you go.'

'I wish I'd gotten a chance to know Uncle Rufus better.' Eric sighed, reaching for his boots.

'Over breakfast, I'll tell you all about him.' Aloysius promised, hustling back to his rack and making final prep for the third and final day of The Crucible.

Checking that he was out of sight of the DI's, Aloysius grabbed his pin case and tucked it in his left top pocket, drawing strength and comfort from the weight of the case and the priceless pin inside. It was a risk to carry it today but Aloysius couldn't think of any better time to carry Rufus with him. Today he went from recruit to Marine and what a proud day it would be.

'Be with me, Alley Cat. Today is my day, but you made it happen.' Aloysius uttered, finishing his packing and neatening his rack before grabbing the guidon and hustling out with the rest of his weary and footsore friends.

Outside, the DI's were in charge of a very special morning treat for the exhausted recruits in their care. As the line of recruits filed past their DI's, each one was given a cup of coffee and allowed to stand in the pre-dawn chill and drink their coffee in peace for a few minutes. Handing over his mess mug, Aloysius smiled gratefully as he moved to the side, knowing full well that this reprieve wouldn't last long at all.

He almost laughed at the added extra in his coffee too. Someone was either trying one last attempt to get him in shit or they were offering their silent support to the oldest recruit. Of course, someone might have just been having a laugh but still, it was coffee. Coffee with three slowly melting pink marshmallows in it but coffee none the less.

'Something wrong with your coffee, recruit?' Mitchell asked, eyeing Knight suspiciously.

'No, Sir!' Aloysius replied, figuring if he was going to get in trouble the DI's would have already told him to hit the ground and push.

'What's going on, Aloysius?' McKenzie asked, sidling up beside him.

'Someone put something in my coffee.' Aloysius uttered, lowering his mug so Eric could see.

'You lucky fuck, no one else got those.' McKenzie grinned, sipping his coffee slowly.

'I won't deny it; the extra sugar will do me good.' Aloysius chuckled, drinking deep and sucking down the added treats before anyone else realised they were there.

'You think Uncle Rufus is watching over us?' Eric sighed, looking up into the dark sky as he drank.

'I know he is, kid. He's out there, smiling down on us both as we face the future. He may not have always liked his family but I reckon he would have adored you.' Aloysius nodded, slinging one arm around Eric's shoulders. 'You've got a lot of spirit, that'll help you in the future.'

'I wish I could have gotten to know him better.' Eric sighed, relaxing into the strong arm around him. 'No one in the family talks about him, they never have in my lifetime.'

'I asked a friend to bring me something for graduation. Something that will help you get to know him a little better. But you have to swear you'll keep it away from your family. It's not something Rufus would have wanted them to see.' Aloysius offered, draining his mug and letting it hang from his fingers.

'I promise. I'm used to hiding things from my family. It'll be harder once they know I went through training with you but I can keep it safe.' Eric replied, so eager to know more about the Uncle he'd never really had a chance to know. 'Thanks for taking a chance on me, Aloysius.'

'I still owe you one for that hit on the first day. But here isn't the place for that, I'll save it for a day when we meet in the future.' Aloysius smirked, dropping his arm and wandering away to rinse his cup before stashing it again.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Voices ringing out in chorus, the platoon wound their way towards the Iwo Jima Memorial for the Emblem Ceremony. Hyped up by their DI's and their motivational cadences, the group kept going, seeing the end in sight at long last. No one had dared think of the end of training until now. They couldn't risk getting distracted from the final goal before they were truly ready to go.

Leading the way, Aloysius belted out the cadences, rifle over his shoulder and guidon clasped to his side. Head held high, he encouraged his little brothers-in-arms to keep going, simply by being there. Everyone was exhausted and more than ready to get this ceremony over so they could eat and relax for a little while. They still had a week until graduation but soon they would no longer be recruits. Soon they would be Marines.

As he marched, Aloysius thought back over his life, going through the highs and lows from his Army service and his years as a Bounty Hunter. He'd run on both sides of the law, fought for his country and fought for his own survival and now he truly understood why people he loved were gone and he was still walking this world. He still had work to do, he still had something good to offer the next generation.

Shoving those thoughts aside for another time, he refocused on what had to be done. The future could wait, right now he had to keep moving, motivate his friends and make it to graduation. Everything else could wait until after he was firmly rooted in Shane's unit. Right now that was the only thing he wanted to think about. The world could wait for him to settle into his place.

Ignoring the dark look DI Jackson was giving him, Aloysius kept his face carefully composed, hiding his inner concerns and pushing on like a good little recruit. Nine miles wasn't the furthest they'd gone but these nine miles was the most important. If anyone failed here, they would forever have to live with the shame of coming this close before it was all too much.

There had been failures in every other platoon but against all odds and despite the best efforts of the DI's, Knight's platoon had come through intact. The same 70 recruits that came in were still one group, holding each other up and carrying their friends along when they didn't have anything left to give.

From what Knight had heard on the occasional times he'd been listening in on the DI's after lights out, their success was a rare thing. Their scores were higher than any of the DI's had ever seen, their marksmanship was unparalleled and everyone was pretty damned pleased with them. Their platoon truly did live up to the statement given at every graduation. The newest and best Marines.

Starting to worry when DI Ruiz came up beside him, Knight expected to be yelled at but instead he was calmly told to pick up the cadence. Blinking in shock, Knight affirmed the order and thought for a second before pulling up a few that he liked and taking over from Mitchell smoothly.

Oh there's a place where Marines are made,  
Yelling and a runnin day to day.  
Mean DI's makin fighting machines,  
They take boys and make them mean.  
Get up in the morning in the drizzle and rain,  
Run all day till you feel the pain.  
This is the place that God forgot,  
Sand is deep and the sun is hot.  
It's as fierce as your Drill Instructors face,  
Parris Island is the name of this place  
Orraaahhh  
Oh Yeah  
Oh Yeah  
Parris Island  
Marine Corps  
Here we go  
Here we go  
Orraaahhh

Knight couldn't help the thrill that went up his back at the reinvigorated responses from his battle buddies. They were tired and running on empty but the moment Knight opened his mouth, they found another reason to push on. If he could do it with an extra 15 years over them and still sound like he was ready for a ten mile run, they could do it too.

Mama, Mama can't you see?  
What the Marine Corps' done to me...  
They sat me down in the chair,  
When I looked I had no hair  
Mama, Mama can't ya see?  
What the Marine Corps' done to me...  
I used to drive a Chevrolet,  
but now I march around all day  
Mama, Mama can't you see?  
What the Marine Corps' done to me...  
I used to drive a Cadillac...  
now I carry one on my back...  
Mama, Mama can't you see?!  
What the Marine Corps' done to me...  
After I passed the really hard test...  
They stuck a ribbon in my chest.  
Mama, Mama Cant you see?  
What the Marine Corps' done to me...  
I'm walkin tall and feeling good,  
I'm doing things I never thought I could.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Looking DI Mitchell in the eye, Aloysius accepted his Eagle, Globe and Anchor, so proud of his achievement. Even his first day in the Army couldn't compare to the incredible feeling of being handed his welcome into the Marines.

'Well done, Knight.' Mitchell praised, shaking his hand warmly.

'Thank you, Sir.' Aloysius replied, thumbing the insignia slowly.

'I didn't think you'd make it.' Mitchell added, clapping him on the shoulder and moving on.

Moving back into the at ease position, Aloysius tightened his fingers around the insignia and smiled faintly, lifting his eyes to the sky without appearing to take his eyes off Senior Drill Instructor Gibbs.

'I did it Alley Cat.' Aloysius muttered, relishing the feeling of the EGA pressing into his skin.

'For you, Uncle Rufus.' Eric whispered, glancing at knight out the corner of his eye.

'You did good, Eric.' Aloysius praised, careful not to get caught talking in formation.

'So did you.' Eric grinned, smoothing his face out when SDI Gibbs approached.

Trying not to panic when Gibbs stopped in front of him, Aloysius snapped to attention again and waited to be addressed. Instead, Gibbs offered out his left hand and uncurled his fingers to reveal a set of shiny new rank insignia.

'You have done exceptionally well, Knight. It is rare to see a recruit of your calibre come through recruit training. You will have a long road ahead to work back up to your old Army rank but this will set you on that path. Take them, Knight, you've earned this.' Gibbs nodded, reaching his hand closer to Knight.

'Thank you Sir.' Aloysius replied, plucking the pins from his hand and looking at them for a moment in absolute awe.

'I think you will do the Corps proud.' Gibbs continued, accepting the pins back and securing them to Knight's collar neatly. 'Do us proud, Lance Corporal Knight.'

'Yes, Sir!' Aloysius barked, ripping off a perfect salute as Gibbs walked away.

It was a risk but Knight couldn't help it, he reached up to touch the insignia on his collar, reaffirming that he had made a big step up simply by being who he was. He was tenacious, strong-willed and courageous and now, he had a rank to be proud of and was one step closer to getting to where he wanted to be.

'Would you stop making us look bad, Knight.' Andrews hissed, standing on Knight's other side.

'I wasn't trying to make anyone look bad.' Knight replied, lowering his hand quickly.

'Ease off, Andrews. He's just better than we are. Prior service and all.' McKenzie added, glancing past Knight for a moment.

'One day Andrews, you'll outrank me by a long way. Whatever happens, I will fight to stay enlisted. I will never again rise to be an officer.' Knight promised, reaching out to nudge Andrews lightly.

'We'll see.' Andrews muttered, snapping his eyes back to the front.

'Trust me on that one, Andrews. I've got plans for this enlistment.' Knight replied, flicking his gaze forward again and rolling his shoulders without making it obvious.

Given a few minutes to rest and gather their thoughts before they headed back to barracks, Aloysius moved away from his fellow recruits and looked up at the memorial, clearing his mind and letting the event wash over him. He'd made it this far, he was almost at the end of his first retraining phase and there was still a lot more to do but for now, he was at peace.

Not sure what exactly made him look down, Aloysius couldn't keep the smile off his face when he did and saw the beautiful sight at the bottom of the memorial. He didn't know where it had come from but sitting there in the sun, looking right at him was a scrawny little black cat, its fur matted and filthy. Meowing softly, the little black cat ran to him, rubbing around his ankles and generally being a very friendly little creature.

'Thanks big man, I needed the pick up.' Aloysius grinned, crouching to lightly stroke the stray cat.

'Dare I ask what you are doing, Knight?' Gibbs asked, startling Knight and sending the cat scurrying away in fright.

'Won't happen again, Sir.' Aloysius replied, snapping to attention and hoping he didn't get smoked now of all times.

'At ease, Marine. Now, tell me what that was all about.' Gibbs instructed, watching Knight closely.

'I don't believe in much anymore, Sir. But seeing that black stray cat reminded me of my friend, Lieutenant McKenzie, Sir. His callsign was Alley Cat because he could slink his chopper into spaces where no other pilot would dare, Sir. Believe what you will, Sir, but I believe that the appearance of that cat was a sign from Rufus that he was pleased with my efforts, Sir.' Aloysius explained, knowing it sounded a little crazy but he needed something to believe in nowadays.

'So any stray cat could be a sign from your friend.' Gibbs remarked, prodding Knight for more information about his beliefs.

'No, Sir. Only black stray cats, Sir. Rufus had a soft spot for black cats, Sir.' Aloysius offered, keeping the second reason quiet to protect his past life.

'Just so long as you don't start talking to them, Knight.' Gibbs replied, shaking his head slowly. 'Get back in formation.'

'Yes, Sir!' Knight responded, ripping off a salute before heading back to his platoon.


	9. Graduation

Finding their places in the grandstands, Shane, Mother and Buck settled their covers and waited for the ceremony to begin. They'd missed Family Day thanks to other duties but thanks to some help from higher up the chain, they'd made it for Knight's big day. They weren't exactly thrilled to be in their full Dress Blues for the day but that was the one stipulation of the assistance given. And when they'd seen the extra person that was joining them, it made a little more sense.

Watching and waiting, they were all eager to see their friend again, wondering just how much he'd changed over the last six weeks. They listened as the Adjust headed out to take his place and smiled as the Parris Island mascot was marched out onto the parade deck in his little uniform before he was lead back to the shade to watch the rest of the procession.

Out came the Commander of Troops, Captain Davenport and he called out his staff, four junior officers and four DI's to stand behind him. Most of the staff weren't known to the three but in the second row, Mother spotted an old friend that she hadn't spoken to in years.

'So that's where Tracer ender up. He's a DI now.' she uttered, gaze locked on a tall, heavily built man in the second row. 'Staff Sergeant Andrew Thompson. Met him years ago.'

'Which one is he?' Shane asked, looking along the row of DI's standing behind Davenport.

'Second from this end, the really big guy.' Mother guided, briefly wondering if she could squeeze in a few minutes to talk to him.

'Whoa, he is a really big guy.' Buck breathed, staring at the heavily built man for a moment.

Standing for the invocation, the three friends knew that people were looking at them but it was a small price to pay for fulfilling a promise made 12 weeks ago to a man they'd seen hell will. The Chaplain of this company was a good man; Shane knew him from the past and hoped that he'd been able to offer Aloysius even a little bit of spiritual guidance. But knowing Aloysius, it was unlikely that had happened.

Sinking back down when the request was made over the loudspeakers, the trio checked their charge was still safe and relaxed a little bit. There was still a lot to get through and they would be on edge until they could hand their charge off to his real security detail again but for now, they could let their eyes wander and try to find their man in the graduating parade.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Getting the order, Knight lifted the guidon from the ground and stepped off, leading his boys onto the parade deck proudly. They'd done the absolute best they could and had been rewarded heartily for it. Their platoon would be the honour platoon, the best of the company and as such led everyone else onto the parade deck. Having worked so hard to earn his place as guidon bearer and honour graduate for their platoon, Knight knew he'd done the best he could even though he'd never once been pushed to the absolute limit of his endurance. He had always kept a little bit in reserve just in case it was ever needed.

With his new rank insignia in place and an achievements list that any Marine would be proud to have, Aloysius had a feeling that he was going to shatter the mould and show once and for all that he was worthy of bearing the title United States Marine. He'd been let in on a secret by SDI Gibbs, a secret that he'd told no one just yet but it was one that would surely cause a stir when it was announced to the public and to the other new Marines.

Listening to the history brief as they marched, Aloysius hoped that his friends would be there to see him graduate. He hadn't told anyone but it had hurt that they hadn't been here for family day. While everyone else had been off having fun with their families, Aloysius had stayed in the barracks, making final preparations for today and trying not to think about how much it had hurt to be alone.

But even if his living friends weren't here to see him graduate, Aloysius knew that at the very least, he had Rufus watching over him. No one else had seen him do it but that morning, as they'd all been getting dressed and ready for today, Aloysius had taken out his precious lapel pin and secured it inside his left top pocket, the back of the pin resting over his heart and the tiny Army insignia hidden inside the pocket. It wasn't much but he could feel it and he knew that Rufus would be sending down good feelings.

12 weeks of blood, sweat and tears came to an end here today, signing off on their first phase of training and presenting them to the world. It was strange to think about leaving Parris Island after what felt like a lifetime but Aloysius hoped to never see it again. He'd done his time here, now it was time to move on and walk his life path with honour, courage and commitment. This time his career would not end at the bottom of a destroyed lighthouse.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Jaws dropping when they saw Knight leading his platoon and the entire parade onto the deck, the three friends couldn't believe what they were seeing. Of course they knew that Aloysius had been working hard but they hadn't expected him to be working so hard that his platoon would be the honour platoon for this graduation.

Even more surprising was the rank insignia on his sleeves, indistinct at this distance but it was obviously more than just a PFC rank. Leaning over, Mother quietly asked the young woman beside her is she could borrow the binoculars the other woman was holding. Thanking Mother for her service, the younger woman handed over the binoculars.

Focusing on Knight, Mother swore softly and handed the binoculars to Shane to have a look. Jaw dropping in disbelief, Shane handed them to Buck and shook his head, stunned by what he was seeing. Taking a look, Buck almost dropped the binoculars but quickly handed them back to Mother. Thanking the woman, Mother gave the binoculars back and glanced at Schofield for his thoughts on the matter.

'Well, we all knew that Aloysius was a unique individual. We'll just have to see how many more surprises he has for us.' Shane remarked, shaking his head in wonder. 'I have a feeling he's going to continue to surprise us throughout this ceremony.'

'Just look at him, you can tell he's changed big time.' Buck added, leaning forward a little more and watching Aloysius closely.

Getting to their feet again, the trio came to attention and saluted as the national anthem began to play. Their attention was diverted though; they were all watching Aloysius and trying to gauge how much he had changed. From what they could see, he was standing perfectly still, not worrying about the wind or anything else. From this distance, he looked like a perfect new Marine, standing tall and strong with the guidon tucked under his arm where it belonged.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Snapping to parade rest, Aloysius locked his gaze on the trio he'd spotted in the crowd, keeping his face carefully schooled so no one noticed he was staring at his friends. They had come through for him, making a show in their full dress uniforms but they were here for him. That's all that really mattered to him; his friends had made it for his graduation.

Anchored to the spot, going through visualisation techniques to keep him standing as straight and still as possible, he listened to the band and shifted his eyes to check on the men standing in line with him, making sure they were all behaving in a way that befitted their place as the honour platoon. They were doing the best they could, trying to live up to Knight's abilities but they didn't quite have their anchoring down and they were twitching.

Eyes front again and Aloysius blew out his breath slowly, forcing out the tension that was trying to build in his back, legs and shoulders. Pushing it away, he stared resolutely ahead, letting his mind go blank as he waited so patiently for his time to shine. It was all about the team but Aloysius had taken his platoon as far as he could. Today was his day, he was their champion and nothing could put a dampener on that one.

Back to attention as they were presented to the Commander of Troops by the Parade Adjutant, Aloysius knew the cycle of events, he'd gone over it a few times once his class work was done for another day. Swinging the guidon back to his shoulder, he was in pace with everyone else and shining out as a good Marine, attentive and quick to follow orders.

If nothing else came out of today, Aloysius could rest easily knowing that he had given it his best shot. He'd thrown all his prior knowledge and training at this challenge and he'd come out with some of the most impressive scores seen in a long time. At least, that's what DI Ruiz had told him. He wasn't sure if it would be enough to prove to Schofield that he was ready to be part of their team but he was damned sure going to make an impression with all these people.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Watching Knight move to the center of the formation when ordered, his friends were truly in awe of the effort he'd clearly put in to completing this training. He was still weather beaten and bore his scars publicly but there was something so very different about him. He walked with a new confidence, his head up and his shoulders back. There was no trace of the tough Bounty Hunter that had first come flying into their lives.

It really was breathtaking to watch a man they knew as a rogue and an independent man blend in among the other new Marines and their instructors. That bitter and mistrusting man was gone, replaced by this rebuilt warrior wearing a Marine uniform.

'It's hard to think that he's the same guy. Just look at him.' Mother breathed; all her focus on Knight as he joined the other guidon bearers.

'He's completely changed. There's no sign of the man we knew in the Marine we see.' Buck agreed, astounded by what they were witnessing.

'Our Knight is still in there, he's just hiding.' Shane grinned, quite pleased with how Knight was looking but he was withholding his decision until they'd had a chance to talk.

For them, it was almost as thought Knight was drilling solely for their eyes, the rest of the parade fell away as they witnessed just how far he'd come. Nothing else mattered except seeing their man on parade, proudly carrying the guidon for his platoon and shining out from the crowd. He was everything they'd hoped he'd become but he was also likely to be more than anyone expected him to be. Only time would tell how far he'd come and what he was like now.

Returning to his place in the formation, Knight slotted back into position without needing to shuffle or twitch. He was right where he was meant to be and looking pristine. Thinking back, Shane recalled his tine at Parris Island and frowned faintly. He remembered his place, practically hidden behind several other recruits but he had still held his head up and done his best. He was just a little jealous of Knight, standing there as an honoured graduate.

Shaking his head to clear such thoughts Shane smiled faintly and nodded, trusting that Aloysius could see him in the crowd. Of course Knight had come through so well, he had prior knowledge and had the benefit of training with Marines before going to boot camp. It was only to be expected that he'd come out on top.

Getting up again when the announcer asked for all those in the audience that had served in the Marines to stand, Shane heard a few stunned gasps from a group somewhere to his right and turned, looking at a group of Sergeants standing there. As soon as his covered gaze settled on them, the group snapped to attention and turned their faces forward, doing everything they could to avoid the wrath of such a well known and respected Marine.

There were whispers about the man still seated between Mother and Buck but Shane wasn't worried about those whispers. It was only natural that people would notice who was there and would wonder why. All would be revealed later, for now they could wait and wonder.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Resisting the urge to shift his weight as the Commanding Officer of their training battalion strode onto the parade deck, Aloysius sighed softly and hoped that he wouldn't speak for too long. It wasn't his comfort he was thinking about, he was concerned for some of the men standing beside him. They were looking a little unsteady and a couple were doing their best not to fall over. It was so typical for them, their training had been wet and cold but today was a bright sunny day and the temperature out here was making everyone uncomfortable.

Reinforcing his mental anchors as their senior officer spoke, Aloysius scanned the crowd slowly from behind the safety of his glasses, looking for any other familiar faces out there. He saw the McKenzie family sitting together, everyone in their uniforms to create a display that would have humbled any other man.

Moving on past them, Knight focused on the man sitting with his friends. Instantly, he recognised the older man and it took all his mental strength to not react to his presence. Aloysius had mentioned to Shane about a few people he would have liked to see at his graduation but he'd never expected the Scarecrow to get one of them out here for the day.

Even without giving up his scanning of the crowd, Aloysius moved with his fellow recruits to come to attention and respond to their CO when he greeted them. Back to parade rest and Aloysius gave up his search of the crowd, focusing on the words of support and guidance being given.

For the briefest minute, Aloysius wished he could offer a few words of his own, words to inspire and encourage but it wasn't his place. He'd do it later, once they'd been dismissed and could celebrate as a platoon before families and friends pulled them into welcoming embraces after so long apart.

Attention caught by something moving near the grandstand, Aloysius swung his eyes over, looking for all the world that he was still paying total attention to what was being said. There in the shade, tail curled around its paws was a little black stray, dazzling green eyes locked on him. No one else seemed to realise it was there, it they did they weren't paying it any attention. The pin was a tangible link to Rufus but seeing that cat let him know that Rufus was watching over him and offering his support.

Shifting his fingers against the staff in his hand, Aloysius broke his attention away from the cat and went back to staring ahead. Even now the cat came to him again, padding under the stands to emerge again where Aloysius could see it while still looking ahead. Whether he liked it or not, Aloysius was stuck with this cat in his vision. Rufus was making his presence known and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Watching the review in passing, Shane had the funniest feeling he'd caught Aloysius' eye for just a moment. It was hard to know for certain with their glasses in the way but Shane had a feeling his pride had been passed on to their shining star. Aloysius had flashed them a tiny hint of a smile, barely noticeable to anyone that didn't know him.

They'd all caught the little smile and they knew their Aloysius was still inside this battle ready Marine. It wasn't much of a hint but it was just enough to be certain of what they'd all suspected. Knight had changed only as much as he needed to, blending in with the rest of the recruits and making it unobvious that he was something unique.

But there was something special about the young men following Knight around the parade deck. They were pristine, every one of them overflowing with pride and looking stunning. Borrowing the binoculars again, Mother got a closer look at the platoon and whistled softly in appreciation. Just by looking at the badges on their chests, she could make a rough estimation on their marksmanship skills and what she saw was impressive. Every one of them either had the Rifle Sharpshooter of Rifle Expert badge. The experts were rare but there were a few in there.

Handing the binoculars back again, Mother leant over and tapped Shane on the shoulder lightly. Turning slightly, Shane leant back to hear what she had to say.

'I just had a closer look at Knight's platoon. Not one of them is wearing a basic marksman badge. I counted nine experts and everyone else is wearing sharpshooter badges.' Mother uttered, stunned by what they were witnessing.

'I'm guessing Knight was one of the experts.' Shane nodded, already picking out a few to keep an eye on for the future.

'Naturally. I also noticed McKenzie, Thompson, Andrews and Richards. Didn't know the other four.' Mother replied, leaning back and scanning the area slowly.

'So much for Knight staying under the radar.' Shane sighed, shuffling over and beckoning Buck over to hear the report.

'He can't help it. He's trying to prove he's good enough to run with us.' Mother grinned, relaxing her watch and settling again.

'Not that he needs to prove it.' Buck agreed, thinking about the information he'd received as he leant back. 'We know he's good enough.'

'And now he's letting the rest of the Corps know he's here.' Shane nodded, wondering just how many more surprises Knight had for them.

Something else caught their attention as the parade continued past them. When the instructors were listed for the platoon, there was no mention of Staff Sergeant Anderson. Scanning the area, no one could see any sign of him either. Something was wrong with that, DI's never walked away from their platoons until after graduation.

'Where do you suppose he went?' Mother asked, a little worried about his disappearance but only slightly. 'It's not like him to miss a graduation.'

'Knight might know something.' Buck shrugged, not sure what else to suggest. 'He's always got his ear to the ground.'

'I'll ask Davenport after the ceremony. He'll tell me, he owes me that much.' Shane nodded, glancing back at his companions. 'I doubt it's anything serious but with Anderson, you never know.'

~#~#~#~#~#~

Returning to the center of the formation, standing tall beside the other honour graduates, Aloysius was expecting to cause quite a stir. First he finally got to retire his guidon and he was looking forward to handing over the guidon but he knew he would miss the added respect of bearing the weight every day.

It was unmistakeable that Knight was something special as he took command of the honour graduates and marched them up to stand before Captain Davenport and his staff. Right behind him, Ricky Thompson was in formation though he didn't really know why he was there. He hadn't been informed of any awards and he knew he hadn't been able to compete with Knight physically. All he'd been told was to stay behind Knight throughout the award ceremony and be ready.

Calling their commands clearly and sharply, Aloysius made a pretty good impression, controlling the detachment easily. Their actions were sharp and right on his order, everyone moving in perfect harmony to honour their guidons before they were retired. Out came the top DI's from each platoon, filing past and taking up their position opposite the waiting bearers.

Going through the motions as they'd been drilled to do them, the honour graduates handed off the guidons and stood tall as they were marched off the parade deck. Now it was the fun part, the award presentations for the honour graduates. Thompson was sticking to his orders, practically hidden behind Aloysius as he waited for whatever was going on.

Offering a respectful greeting as Sergeant Major Tobias stopping in front of him, Aloysius knew this was going to shock Scarecrow. Shaking his hand respectfully, Aloysius accepted the award for most physically fit Marine of the company as the announcer declared his combined PFT and CFT score of 600 points of a possible 600 points. Now Aloysius got why Ricky had been ordered to follow him. Careful not to make it obvious, he handed the first aware back to Ricky to hold until the Sergeant Major finished.

Knight's guess proved to be right as he once again pressed the flesh with the Sergeant Major and accepted the honour graduate award for his platoon. Handing that one back to Ricky as well, Aloysius half expected Sergeant Major Tobias to move on but no, he had one more award for Knight. Glancing at the crowd and noticing their amazement, Knight accepted the Company honour graduate award as well.

'You are one hell of a Marine, Knight.' Tobias praised, clapping him on the shoulder.

'Thank you, Sir.' Aloysius replied, reaching back and feeling Ricky slip the other two awards into his hand quickly.

Once the rest of the honour graduates were presented with their awards, the attention turned to the Combat Marksmanship Instructor marched onto the parade deck to present the last award. There was complete silence as Knight's marksmanship score was announced - 350 out of 350 possible points. Slipping the first three back to Ricky, Aloysius accepted award number four proudly.

'I'd like a word when this ceremony is over, Lance Corporal.' Gunnery Sergeant Michaels uttered, shaking Knight's hand firmly.

'Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir.' Aloysius replied, glancing over and spotting his friends staring at him in wonder. 'You might need to speak with Captain Schofield, Sir. He is my ride home.'

'Understood, Lance Corporal.' Michaels nodded, turning and walking away as Aloysius dropped his hand and reached back for the other three.

Fingers locked around the four awards, Aloysius flicked his gaze over towards his friends as the crowd broke into applause. All three of them were staring at him with their jaws hanging somewhere around their belts. They had been expecting results and Knight had given them exactly that. He's given them his perfection and now he had to hope they would back him up.

Waiting for the applause to die down a little, Aloysius gave the next order, turning the honour graduates around and marching them away. He wasn't having much fun trying to hold all four awards in his hand but he would manage. With a voice and DI would have been proud of, Knight controlled the honour graduates and sent them back to their platoons, turning sharply and leading half of them back towards theirs.

Resuming his place and tightening up his grip on the four wards in his hand, Aloysius really had to fight to keep his composure when all he wanted to do was run over to hear what Schofield had to say about his achievements. Calling upon his anchor visualisations again, he held his place as the Marines Hymn was played, signalling the end of the ceremony was almost on them.

He settled for watching his friends, resting his awards against his leg lightly. Hopefully this was enough to convince Shane he was good enough to stand with them. He knew Shane would bend over backwards to keep his friends close but now he had another reason to want Aloysius in his team. There would be a certain prestige to have a Marine that had earned four awards during boot camp and aced the major lessons.

Feeling the zing up his back as the Hymn ended and the First Sergeant gave the order for the Senior Drill Instructor's to dismiss their platoons. Holding his breath, Aloysius waited for the order, knowing that they would be first. Tightening up his grip on the awards in his hands, Aloysius swallowed and waited, watching Gibbs for the signal.

Giving the order proudly, Gibbs couldn't keep the smile off his face as the platoon took one big step backwards and responded as one before turning away from him with a triumphant battle cry. Adjusting his cover with a light touch, Aloysius turned and walked back to Gibbs, offering his hand respectfully to the older man.

'Gunnery Sergeant Gibbs, thank you so much.' Aloysius grinned, bringing his awards to his chest.

'I wish you the very best of luck, Lance Corporal Knight.' Gibbs replied, clasping his hand firmly as his smile widened. 'I foresee you becoming someone very special to the Corps.'

'That's the plan, Sir.' Aloysius chuckled, ripping off another salute before turning back to his friends and joining with their celebration.

Instantly he was surrounded, his platoon coming around him again. They didn't care about being shown up, they were so damned proud to be connected with Knight. He was their shining star and the lessons he'd taught them would be carried with them for the rest of their lives.

'Bloody good job, Aloysius.' Eric grinned, clapping him on the back.

'You're the fucking best.' Toby added, shaking his hand warmly.

'You're a Marine legend already, Knight.' Robbie chuckled, wrapping one arm around his shoulders.

'We're all Marine legends now. Wherever our choices take us, we are all Marine legends. You know how to do the job, you know how to be the best. Now take your lessons and spread the word. You will not be trifled with. This honour isn't mine alone, we all share in this. Without you behind me, spurring me to push harder, I wouldn't have tried for these honours.' Aloysius corrected, looking around at his brothers-in-arms.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Handing their charge back to his real detail, Shane led Mother and Buck across the parade deck to where Aloysius was standing on his own, waiting for them. Strangely though, there was a black cat curling around his ankles, rubbing up against him and just generally being very affectionate. Smiling softly, Aloysius knelt and stroked the cat lightly, allowing it to rub up against his arm and welcoming its affection openly.

It ran off and disappeared back under the grandstands when the three Marines were right near Aloysius. Getting to his feet, Aloysius stared after the cat for a moment, cradling his awards to his chest lightly.

'Thanks Alley Cat. I knew you'd be here one way or another.' Aloysius uttered, turning to his friends and breaking into a huge grin. 'It's good to see you all again?'

'I'm not sure if I want to hit you or hug you, you deceitful little shit.' Mother growled, reaching out to rest one hand on his shoulder. 'Why didn't you tell us about this?'

'About what? The rank or these awards?' Aloysius asked, looking down at the four plaques in his hands. 'The rank I only got at the Emblem Ceremony and I wasn't sure how many of these I might be getting.'

'I expected you'd get one, possibly two but four…that's got to be some kind of Parris Island record.' Shane laughed, clapping Knight on the shoulder. 'Back when I stood on this parade deck for the first time, I got one for being honour graduate of my platoon.'

'Now why doesn't that surprise me, Scarecrow.' Knight smirked, handing his four over to Buck and letting him have a closer look. 'Oh, the Combat Marksman Instructor wanted to have a word with me after the ceremony.'

'I know, he found me just a few minutes ago.' Shane nodded, looking up at Aloysius. 'He said something about a weapons display. He wanted to see how good you really are. I informed him we were on a tight schedule and couldn't spare the hours it would take to go over your weapons training and capabilities.'

'Thanks Scarecrow. I just want to get out of here and relax for a little while.' Aloysius replied, glancing back when someone else called his name. 'So who's got that thing I asked about?'

'Right here.' Mother replied, pulling a small USB from her pants pocket and handing it over. 'Why did you want this anyway?'

'Because I promised a young man I'd help him get to know his Uncle. I'll be right back, wait here.' Aloysius grinned, hiding the silver device in his hand and jogging away.

Watching from the distance as Knight talked to another recruit and handed him the drive subtly, the three friends were impressed by what he was doing. No one else would suspect the drive had been passed along and by the looks of it, the McKenzie family were just as stunned by the friendship displayed between the two. Sharing one last smile with his young friend, Aloysius jogged back to his closest friends, a contented little smile on his face.

'Not sure how long he'll be able to keep it quiet but we'll see how he goes.' Aloysius remarked, accepting his handful of awards back.

'I'm surprised you're giving anything to that family.' Shane remarked, looking around slowly but their charge and his security team were gone.

'I saw him, Scarecrow. Thanks for bringing him here.' Aloysius uttered, glancing back towards the stands. 'I wasn't expecting you to get any of those on my list to come.'

'Wasn't that hard to convince him to come out for this. I mentioned your name and he agreed.' Shane shrugged, resting one hand on Knight's shoulder. 'It's amazing what can be done when people come together. We got provided aerial transport here but we're on our own now.'

'I can live with that. Leave it with me, I'll see we have the most comfortable ride to wherever we need to go.' Aloysius nodded, slinging one arm around Mother's shoulders. 'Now what do you say we get out of here.'

'Sounds like a plan to me, Knight.' Mother grinned, not really surprised that Knight wanted to get moving. 'We're going to need to find you a callsign.'

'I got no shame in using my old one, its good enough. Back in the day, I was Avenger.' Aloysius offered, slotting in between Mother and Buck as they walked off the parade deck.

'Avenger…I like it.' Shane nodded, looking back over his shoulder. 'I think you're going to fit in just fine with us.'

'That's the hope, Scarecrow.' Aloysius agreed, so very glad to be walking away from the young recruits and back with people closer to his own age. 'No more big brother rubbish.'

'You're not finished training yet, Avenger. Once you're done at Camp Geiger, then you can stay away from the youngsters.' Shane replied, looking back over his shoulder.

'I should have seen that coming.' Aloysius groaned, shaking his head slowly. 'The end result will be worth the irritation.'


	10. Moving On Up

One year since boot camp and Aloysius was pretty happy with how far he'd come in the world. His combat record was speaking loud and clear and a lot of officers from all across the Marine Corps had tried to get their hands on him but Shane stepped up every time and told them where they could stick their offers.

One in particular that stuck in Aloysius' mind had come just after his promotion to Sergeant the year previous. A Lieutenant Colonel had offered Schofield a full unit of hardened veterans in replacement for Knight. Shane had removed his glasses and gotten right into the personal space of that Lieutenant Colonel and told him in no uncertain terms that a full battalion of battle hardened Marines wouldn't be enough to replace Knight.

After that warning, the requests for Knight stopped coming but he suspected they were still being submitted. Whatever the reason that they weren't coming through, Aloysius was glad for the chance to relax and fully enjoy the time with his friends. Whenever they were out and about together on the base, Knight was a perfectly respectful Marine, displaying proper forms of address and saluting as appropriate. But at any other time, he relaxed and bantered easily with this friends, reverting to callsigns and playful teasing. It was almost like he'd always been part of the unit, he blended in so comfortably.

The first time it had happened, Aloysius had tried to ignore it but as the days went past and it kept happening, he realised what was going on. Mother had her little nicknames for everyone, names she used when callsigns weren't appropriate. Libby had always been Chickadee, Shane was Champ, Buck was Buddy and now Aloysius had an affectionate nickname from her - Cub. In the beginning, it had been affectionate but now she used it whenever she was worried about him and it always broke through his defences. She only had to look at him and call him Cub and he was gone.

Shane had pulled a few extra strings and got Aloysius special permission to bare his memorial tattoos. Of course, the extra help from people over his head helped as well but it had been a priceless moment when the orders had come down. Right there in front of dozens of Marines, Aloysius stripped off his high tech guards, revealing the designs he'd been hiding away for so long. Aloysius accepted that there would be certain times when he would need to hide them again but for the most, he was permitted to display his memorial tattoos proudly.

Spending six months living on base, Aloysius got sick of people coming to see him just to look at his honour graduate awards from Parris Island so he moved off base and settled into a one bedroom apartment in the same building as Shane. The place wasn't much but it was his and he didn't have to let anyone in if he didn't want to. His door was always open to his friends but that was only because they were the only ones that knew where the spare key was.

The other good thing about living off base, Aloysius could finally indulge in something else he'd wanted to do since finishing boot camp. He went out and rescued two cats from the local shelter, getting them everything they would need to be happy and welcoming them into his life. The boy he named Raven and the girl he called Alley, they were both completely black but Raven had a kink in his tail from when he'd broken it as a little kitten.

Adding the pair to his life had certainly brightened things up and now he had a reason to smile every day. Whether they were waking him up to feed them with a friendly bat on the nose or curling up in his lap after a hard day, those two gave him unconditional love and always listened to whatever was bothering him.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Now a Corporal and feeling more positive about the path he was still defining, Aloysius followed his team through the base to where everyone else was waiting for the final line up. Looking their best without going over the top, the team headed for the parade deck at a jog, Mother belting out a proud Marine cadence so everyone knew who was coming their way.

Everyone had been talking about the inter-service games coming up, a new idea from the highest ranks of the military to see just who had the best men in various fields. In effect, there were two different competitions going on at the same time. Larger teams would be engaging at various facilities out in the desert while the smaller, elite teams had their own competition on base. The two week long event would culminate in a five way combat challenge out in the desert.

Today they would meet their competitors and see the draw for the very first time. Everyone was a little jittery, not quite sure who they would be facing off against first this time. The last time there had been anything like this, Shane's team had come up against a group of SEALs and they'd been eliminated from the competition in minutes. This year would only prove to be worse going off the team listing Shane had seen.

Swinging around the last corner and entering the parade deck, Shane led his team past the waiting troops to join the rest of the elite teams up the far end. Purposefully showing off, Shane took his team past all the other elite teams before coming around and taking their place among the others. There were a few looks from other teams as Shane's team took their places but no one said anything about the fourth man in the Marine Recon team.

Breaking formation and gathering behind their leaders, the elite teams listened to their mass briefing and waited for the draw. Swapping looks, the team leaders were busy evaluating their opponents for the games, figuring out the weak links and trying to sort out where the real threats were lurking in each team. There were a lot of whispers about Mother's abilities, no one really wanted to come up against her but Knight was completely forgotten about. His rank and the years spent out of circulation had removed the threat that usually came with his callsign. All that would change soon.

Stepping up with the other team leaders, Shane reached into the bucket the presiding Colonel was holding and pulled out a set of dogtags. Flipping them over in his palm, his face fell as he looked around the circle of officers. He was hoping this wouldn't happen until the second week but there was no going back now.

'Marine Recons will challenge Delta unit head-to-head.' Shane declared, holding out the tag bearing the Delta insignia.

'Delta recognises and accepts the Marine Recon challenge.' another man replied, his name tag reading Hunter. 'Good luck, Captain Schofield.'

'You'll need it, Captain Hunter.' Shane smirked, looking back over his shoulder. 'Avenger, it's your brief on our first opponent!'

'Copy that Scarecrow!' Aloysius replied, looking the Delta team over quickly.

Around it went, with each team leader giving one challenge and accepting one from elsewhere in the group. Shane accepted from the Rangers, not too concerned about beating them. Sure, they were all bigger than he was but with Mother and Knight on his side, Shane knew they would come through okay. They would face the SEALs later in the week, a fact Shane wasn't too sure about. The further into the games they went, the more everyone would be feeling it but they would also have time to watch the SEALs in action and see where their weaknesses were.

Returning to his team, Shane huddled with them, waiting to hear what Aloysius made of the Delta unit they were going up against in this first round. Lifting his gaze for a second, Knight scanned the Delta team again and nodded before dropping back into the huddle.

'Hunter I know, he's good at range but up close he's slow on the left side. Sergeant Johnson is familiar too, he's devastating up close but his size works against him. The other three I don't know but looking at them, I'd guess Clarkson lacks speed on the run, Carter appears beefy but that bulk hides a lot of speed and Percell isn't much of an up close fighter.' Aloysius uttered, peering past Shane to watch the Delta boys. 'I'd also guess that Percell is the FNG, he lacks the confidence of the other four.'

'Can we defeat them?' Shane asked, a little concerned about the extra man in the Delta team.

'So long as we stick together and you three remember what I told you about Delta, we'll be fine. When it comes to team challenges, you take Hunter, Mother on Carter, Buck takes Clarkson and I'll get Johnson. We can roam against Percell.' Aloysius nodded, checking on the Delta men again.

'You sure about this, Cub?' Mother uttered, her concerns showing through for a moment.

'I'm sure, Mother.' Aloysius replied, grateful for her concern. 'I'll be okay, you don't have to worry this time.'

'I always worry for you Cub.' Mother grinned, reaching out to clasp his hand.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Armed and armoured for the first event, Shane shoved his mouthguard into place and yanked his helmet on. Doing it up tight, he turned and accepted his weapon, holding his arms out so their assistants could do up the straps around his wrists. It felt so strange to be wearing this kit again but it was probably the safest way to play this game.

Checking the gauntlets were tight enough, Shane nodded and moved back to join his team. They all looked kinda goofy in their pads and helmets but it was a small price to pay. In front of them stood a new wooden construction, roughly circular in shape with two entrances running in via short tunnels. It was a larger version of the Octagon at Parris Island, just perfect for two teams to go beating each other brainless under the watchful eyes of several senior officers.

Most of the competitors would have preferred to do this without all the extra padding but the rules had been put down that everyone had to wear appropriate protective equipment during the games. Those caught without the correct gear on would be evicted from the games and their team would have to continue without them for the rest of the fortnight.

Looking at his team, Shane smiled around his mouthguard, revealing the bright yellow guard. It was absolutely hideous but there hadn't been any others available in his size. Returning the grin, mother revealed that he wasn't the only one stuck with a badly coloured mouthguard. Hers was florescent pink. Buck had gotten lucky, his was a nice shade of blue while Aloysius had a black one.

'Okay, here we go. Remember what Avenger said and we'll do fine.' Shane nodded, hefting his pugil stick in readiness.

'Ooh-rah!' his team called, turning to the entrance gate and waiting for the whistle.

'Avenger, lead us in.' Shane directed, trusting in Aloysius to know exactly what to do.

'Stay on my ass, guys. Seconds count.' Aloysius instructed, breaking into a run the moment the whistle sounded.

Bursting out of the tunnel, Aloysius didn't slow down, charging straight into Percell and knocking him down before turning and parrying a strike from Clarkson. With a great roar, Mother was next into the fray, smacking Percell down again and crashing into Carter. Ducking away from Clarkson as Buck joined the fight, Aloysius spun quickly and smacked Johnson back, forcing him away from Mother. Dropping Percell on his ass for the third time, Shane slid in beside Knight and caught a strike from Hunter, deflecting it and going in for a chest shot of his own.

Going at it hard, the nine competitors gave it their all, kicking up the dust and trading blows with brutal efficiency. Everyone took their share of hits but the Marine team seemed to be coming out on top. Young Percell was taking the worst of it, bounced from one aggressive Marine to the next without being able to land any good shots. He certainly tried but whenever he got close enough to try and hit one of them, another would block his shot and send him sprawling in the dirt again.

Sidestepping a wide swing from Hunter, Knight ducked and threw one end of his pugil stick up, catching Johnson in the head and knocking him on his ass. Turning, he flowed under Mother's upraised arms and knocking Clarkson back a step before turning back and driving into Percell and putting him on the ground once more.

Swirling away from Hunter, Shane caught an overhead strike from Johnson and held firm, knowing he was open but there was nothing he could do right now. Scenting a victory, Hunter closed in to take Schofield down but Mother came out of nowhere, blasting right through Hunter and leaving him groaning on the ground.

There was no time to celebrate taking him down though. Spinning around again, Mother went back to dealing with Carter as Shane put Percell down again then came to assist her. Ducking past Buck, Aloysius slammed Johnson hard, the pair pushing and shoving as hard as they could. Johnson had the size advantage but Knight didn't know the meaning of quit. His team needed him.

Suddenly Buck was down, sprawling heavily on his back. Carter went in to finish his time in the competition but Aloysius was ready, turning and standing over Buck, catching Carter's stroke with both hands. Arching his back, Knight pushed Carter back a step and jumped, curving his body through a 180 degree turn to confront Johnson without stepping on Buck.

Waiting for Knight to move away again, Buck got back to his feet and leapt back into the action, smashing through Percell and hammering on Carter's defences as Mother was busy with Clarkson. Schofield popped up beside him, delivering a stinging blow to Carter's abdomen and knocking him on his ass.

Punishing Johnson with a heavy blow to his open right side, Knight turned again and closed with his team to deal with Clarkson and Percell. Johnson made one last attempt but a heavy strike from Mother in the abdomen put him out of the fight. Percell hit the ground seconds later, caught in a squash when Knight hit him in the back and Shane got him in the stomach. Carter struggled back to his feet and moved in to back up his team-mate but the fight was practically finished. Carter went down hard, slammed by Mother. Clarkson tried to hold on against all four Marines but Buck ducked under his defence and dropped him in the dirt heavily.

The whistle blew again and the Marines moved back to their entrance gate. Working their mouthguards out and letting them hang off their helmets, the four grinned as the groggy and sore Delta men were helped to their feet.

'You just dialled…' Shane started, smirking at the five dazed men.

'1-800-OOH-RAH!' his team chorused, turning as one and slipping from the octagon.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Relaxing on the team room just off the main rec hall as the sun set, the team was feeling pretty good. Day one was over and they were standing at 4-2, having suffered one loss to the Ranger team in the octagon and a loss to Delta in the sparring ring. The numbers had been against them all day so two losses weren't so bad. Tomorrow would likely be worse. They were up against Delta and the Rangers again but tomorrow would test their abilities in simulated combat and various runs.

Laughing and sipping their beers, the four relaxed and discussed their first day of the games, dissecting their losses and working out how they could have done it better. They still had other teams to meet head-to-head and so they tried to learn everything they could from each fight. Shane's big concern was the SEALs, they had been a huge challenge last time they'd gone head-to-head and he really didn't want another embarrassing loss like that.

Looking up when someone tapped on the door, all four frowned when one of the Delta men stuck their head in and looked around quickly. It was Captain Hunter and he looked decidedly uncomfortable to be here in Marine Recon territory.

'Did you want something?' Shane asked, draining his beer and setting it aside.

'I was hoping to talk to Corporal Knight for a moment.' Hunter requested, looking at Aloysius as he spoke quietly.

'You're wanting to know if I'm a certain Delta Captain, aren't you?' Aloysius queried, getting to his feet and turning to the door. 'Quit lurking in the door and get in here. There are some things that shouldn't be shouted across the room.'

Stepping into the room quickly and closing the door firmly behind him, Captain Hunter approached Knight and looked him over quickly. Rolling his eyes, Aloysius turned his right arm over, revealing the angry bald eagle and the warning to his enemies.

'I remember you, Timothy. You were a promising Lieutenant when my career went up in smoke. I remember Sergeant Johnson too, he was a young Corporal, fresh in Delta when I was betrayed.' Aloysius nodded, lowering his arm slowly.

'I'd heard rumours that you were dead. It's good to know you're not.' Hunter replied, looking him over again. 'Though I'm not so sure about the uniform change.'

'The Army turned away from me so when my name was cleared, I didn't see any reason why I should go back. These Marines saved my life, they showed loyalty that I didn't feel I deserved but I'm glad I got it from them. It was only fair that I returned the loyalty and came back to them when I needed a place.' Aloysius shrugged, smiling softly as Mother came up behind him.

'What about that friend of yours, the NightStalker that went down with you?' Hunter asked, not sure if he was crossing a line with Knight or not.

'He died…18 months ago. He's buried at Arlington now, among so many great heroes.' Aloysius uttered, dropping his gaze.

'Shit, sorry to hear that. He was a great man and the best pilot I've ever seen.' Hunter offered, resting one hand on Knight's shoulder.

'Thanks. He's still watching over me, in his own way.' Aloysius nodded, turning his left arm over to reveal the name he wore so proudly.

Seeing something in Hunter's eyes that Aloysius didn't like, he stepped back and slipped under Mother's offered arm, relaxing a little more as she drew him in against her side and held him firmly. Right now he wasn't feeling up to dealing with the past, he didn't need the extra stress of explaining where he'd been and how he'd survived.

'I think its time you left, Captain Hunter. There is nothing more to be gained by dredging up the past and making Aloysius go through it again.' Shane warned, stepping up and planting his feet between the two men. 'He's my responsibility now, this has nothing to do with you.'

'Just tell me this much and I'll leave quietly. Why give up your commission, Aloysius? You were a good officer, people respected you.' Hunter nodded, backing up slowly.

'Why keep a burden you don't need? I knew that keeping it would only cause trouble so I threw it aside and went in as a grunt. If I am to be an officer again, I'd rather work for it than be handed it because of my past.' Aloysius replied, looking up at Mother. 'This is my home now, the Army can go to hell as far as I'm concerned.'

'Leave now, this is Recon turf. You're not wanted here.' Shane growled, stepping forward again and not so subtly indicating the door.

'It's a shame really, you could have been something if you'd come back.' Hunter scoffed, turning and leaving the room quickly.

'I'm already something. I am a Marine legend, the only recruit to complete basic and 36 and walk away with four honour graduate awards. The Army can't compete with that.' Aloysius shot back, ready for a fight but Hunter realised he'd pushed too far and fled the room.

Drawing away from Mother slowly, Aloysius turned and sighed, hanging his head as his mind went back over everything he'd done to make it this far. Doubts were rising again, a thousand different life choices bombarding his mind and making his doubt everything he'd done.

'You okay, Cub?' Mother asked, draping her arm around his shoulders again.

'Yeah, just thinking Mother.' Aloysius nodded, looking up at her. 'Wondering if I made the right decisions and all of that.'

'Don't you listen to him, Cub. You're right where you belong.' Mother grinned, hugging him tight.

'Yeah, this is your home now. Forget about Hunter, he's just being an ass.' Shane agreed, coming around in front of Knight and clasping his wrists. 'You worked damn hard for this. If you didn't believe this was your home, you wouldn't have tried so damn hard.'

'It still hurts, you know. It shouldn't hurt like this but I can't help it.' Aloysius uttered, lifting his gaze from the floor to look into Shane's eyes.

'Whenever it hurts, we're here for you.' Buck promised, coming up on Knight's other side and rubbing his back slowly.

'Thanks guys.' Aloysius replied, still shaken to the core but he would bounce back again.

'Its okay, Cub, its okay. You're one of us, that's all that matters.' Mother whispered, waiting for the others to back off before guiding Aloysius back to the couch. 'Come on, you stretch out and get some rest, its okay.'

Settling quickly, Aloysius accepted the well worn blanket and half curled up, resting his head in Mother's lap as she stroked his shoulder. She was so good to him, she was the strongest anchor he had with the team. Aloysius would never have thought he's find his shelter with her, he had been expecting to spend most nights on Shane's couch after a few beers. But no, he'd spent his leave after boot camp at Mother's place, set up comfortably in the second bedroom. She wouldn't hear of him staying anywhere else.

So it was no surprise to anyone that whenever he came too close to turning back to his old ways, he found his way back to her. She was always there for him, shielding her Cub from the trouble stalking him and giving him a soft place to fall when it was too much. There had been a few awkward moments in his first month of deployment but Ralph had soon realised that it was friendship and nothing more.

Sinking down into one of the armchairs, Shane smiled softly at the sight on the couch. He was still getting used to seeing a vulnerable Aloysius but he knew every time he saw this side of Aloysius, it was a sign of deep trust. A chance to see Aloysius like this, curled up like a kid under an old USMC blanket while Mother toyed with his hair, well that just proved how close Aloysius had come to throwing it all away again.

'I don't know how much more of this he can take, Scarecrow. His past just won't let him go.' Mother uttered, watching Knight twitching in his sleep.

'I don't know what else to do, Mother. We're giving him all the support we can.' Shane sighed, shaking his head slowly. 'I don't know what else to do for him.'

'It's this damned challenge. He was fine until he had to confront those D-boys. Facing them has stirred up a lot of bad memories.' Buck offered, tucking the blanket around Knight a little more and slumping in the other armchair.

'So you think he'll be okay again after this challenge is over?' Shane asked, turning his attention to Buck quickly.

'I don't know for sure but it makes sense. He's still struggling to turn his back on the pain of his past. Having these D-boys about isn't helping so once they're gone, he should bounce back.' Buck shrugged, not sure what other guidance to offer.

'Well, we can give it a try.' Shane nodded, turning his eyes back to Aloysius again. 'I just hope we can pull him back from the edge. He's vital to this team now.'

~#~#~#~#~#~

Two weeks of blood, sweat and exhaustion and it was finally over. The dust was settling over the compound and the sounds of battle died away slowly. Everyone was smiling, it had been an exhausting day but they were feeling pretty good about what they'd done. Admittedly, the area around them wasn't quite the same anymore. But that was the price paid when 250 of the best from all five branches of the military came together to conduct a simulated combat exercise using simulated rounds.

It had all been totally serious, making good use of the fabricated Middle Eastern village out at Twentynine Palms. It was a simple enough challenge. The Marines had to hold the village against four waves of attackers coming from different directions over the course of the day. At the same time, the other four branches were expected to hammer at each other at any chance they had while still heading for their primary objective.

Everyone was armed with a variety of customised weaponry, all designed for firing paintballs. Pistols, rifles and even machine guns, all specifically made for paintballs. There were even grenades for mass effect. Each team was given a different colour to make it easy to distinguish kills. The Marines had bright green, the Army red, the Air Force yellow, the Navy bright blue and the Coast Guard had purple.

In the middle of the fabricated village, Shane lowered his rifle and looked back over his shoulder at the wall behind him. It was liberally splashed with all four opposing colours, a little more red than any other but everyone had come in close to try and take out the Marine leaders. They'd come close, Aloysius was slumped by the back wall, a neatly aimed blue spot in the middle of his mask. Buck was sprawled nearby as well, a big red splash across his abdomen. Mother had come through unscathed for the most part, she had a few glancing blows on her arms but nothing that the referees had called a kill shot.

Hearing the all clear siren, the five teams headed out to the designated meeting point, every single one of them liberally splattered with a rainbow of paint. Shouldering weapons, they all took the chance to look the other teams over, just checking how they'd all done against the competition. It was hard to tell just who had the victory, everyone was a mess.

Standing together, the eight man SEAL team had taken a pounding, they were covered in a rainbow but each one bore the same mark on their masks - a perfect bright green headshot. There was no getting around who had done that, Knight wore a smirk that told everyone he'd sniped the SEALs. Mother was smirking too, her eyes on the five D-boys. They'd done poorly really, all five of them had at least nine green marks on their chests. But then, Mother didn't take kindly to trespassers and she certainly didn't like anyone that upset her Cub. Armed with a paintball machine gun, she'd made those five pay dearly.

Standing still as the referees counted marks and tallied up the damage, the weary troops waited calmly for the final decision to be made. Taking their tallies back to the waiting Generals and Admirals, the individual tallies were added up and written up on a big board facing away from the waiting teams.

The board was turned around and a god almighty roar went up form the Marines on the ground. It had been damned close but by just eleven points, the Marine team had taken the top spot. The Army had come in second with the Navy just six points behind them and the Air Force bringing in fourth, nine points ahead of the Coast Guard.

'Now that's what I'm talking about.' Aloysius crowed, punching the air.

'In your face Hunter!' Shane called, resting one hand on Knight's shoulder. 'He's ours now and you'll never have him back.'

'You got that right, Scarecrow.' Mother nodded, drawing Knight in against her side.

'Ooh-rah!' the Marine team roared, united behind their star Recon team.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Setting their new trophy on the shelf in their team room, the happy quartet listened to the celebration going on in the main rec room. Every Marine on base was overjoyed with their victory, they'd taken the other branches down a peg or two and it was a wonderful feeling. It didn't matter if they'd been part of the final battle, every Marine on base was in a good mood.

In the team room, the mood was even higher. Aloysius was definitely strutting after taking down the SEAL team and Mother couldn't wipe the smug look off her face after bettering the D-boys. Buck had his own reasons to hold his head up high, he'd gotten a high kill score before he'd taken that Army grenade to the stomach. And Shane, well he was just so damned proud of his team and all they'd achieved.

Turning when someone knocked on the door before opening it, the team shot to their feet quickly as their base CO entered with a slab of beer on his shoulder. Behind him came three more senior officers, each one carrying another case of beer.

'Compliments of the losing teams. Apparently the General had a bet with his counterparts. The losers had to buy the winning General or Admiral a bottle of fine brandy and a case of beer for the winning elites.'

'Remind me to write a letter of thanks to the General.' Shane grinned, accepting one of the cases and carrying it over to stash in the lockers along the back wall.

'Well, I guess we won't be buying beer for a while.' Aloysius chuckled, taking another case and carrying it to their stash.

'I have a feeling the other Generals and Admirals are glad it wasn't beer for the winning paintball team.' Buck smirked, hoisting the third case onto his shoulder and turning.

'Nope, our very grateful General is providing a treat for all those involved in the games though.' the base CO replied, handing the last case to Mother. 'Better get to the mess hall or there'll be none left for any of you.'

Locking away their booze, Shane led the group out past their senior officers at a sprint, heading straight for the mess. Barging through the doors, they headed straight for the tables, looking at the spread of food that had been provided. The General was spoiling his champions with pizza and fried chicken and great piles of chips liberally drizzled with gravy. Laughing and scrambling for the special treat, the four friends got totally caught up in the jovial mood, retelling stories of great shots and enjoying the chance to completely unwind.


	11. Old Enemies

Two-and-a-half years in and there were whispers that Aloysius was trying to break some kind of record. It's not that he was trying to break any records; he was just knuckling under and doing his best. If that meant he was ranking up more frequently than anyone else, well that was just fine with him. He wasn't out to prove anything; he was just doing what came naturally and reaping the rewards of his drive and determination to succeed.

Now a Staff Sergeant, he was doing pretty good with his Marine life. Sometimes he missed the old days when he was free to go where he wanted and do as he wished but then he would look around at what he had now and he knew he was right where he needed to be now. His wealth and luxurious life would still be there when he finished with the Marines and if he died in a combat zone, well at least he would die knowing that his friends would be looked after.

But for now there were no combat zones to worry about, no one was shooting at them and they had space to relax and enjoy the slower life. On presidential orders, the team had packed their uniforms, grabbed whatever they would need and hopped a flight to Washington DC. There had been a few strange looks when they turned up outside the famous Eighth and I Marine barracks with two black cats but Shane had explained that they were the team mascots and the team never went anywhere in the US without them.

There had been some troubling whispers among those in the know, whispers that Shane had been allowed to hear and now he was worried. Apparently, the ICG was back and looking for another round against those that had destroyed their organisation last time. Shane had mentioned the whispers to his team but they all agreed that it was probably nothing worth worrying about. If the ICG appeared they would handle things but there was no point stirring up trouble if there wasn't a reason to go looking for it.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Relaxing in their assigned section of the barracks, the four friends were just kicking back and passing the time quietly. They'd been brought in a day early and would be sent straight back to their real base the day after the speech so they all knew this was just for show.

'Had any more thoughts on those ICG rumours, Scarecrow?' Mother asked, looking up from where she was playing with Raven.

'Only enough to know that I don't like this.' Shane replied, stretched out on his rack and looking out the window. 'You heard anything, Knight?'

'The few contacts of mine that I'm still using report confirmation of ICG activity. Low level stuff mostly, I'm guessing they're still trying to rebuild after things went public on them last time.' Aloysius shrugged, sprawled on his rank with Alley on his chest. 'One contact has been hearing a lot of chatter about a new order for America, ICG is planning something but no one knows what.'

'You think the President is at risk?' Buck asked, looking up from where he was ironing his shirt for the big event.

'It's possible but I don't know for sure. Unfortunately, there's no way to tell the President of the threat without risking my contacts and I don't want to do that.' Aloysius sighed, cradling Alley to his chest as he sat up.

'There's got to be a way.' Shane insisted, tearing his eyes away from the window. 'We can't just sit on this Intel and do nothing.'

'You know the Secret Service will ask where you got the Intel. You can't answer that without throwing someone under the bus.' Aloysius countered, looking around slowly. 'Even using one of those anonymous tip lines wouldn't work. Anyone in the know realises that those aren't anonymous at all. We're just going to have to handle this ourselves.'

'And how do you propose we do that?' Mother asked, lifting Raven onto her shoulders as she stood.

'We'll all be standing near the President; we'll just have to look at everything and try to spot trouble before trouble finds him. I know it sounds crazy but we can do this if we try.' Aloysius replied, gently depositing Alley on his rack and jumping down. 'We all know how to spot a threat, we'll just have to make sure to look everywhere without seeming to look anywhere.'

Catching on to Knight's idea, Shane went for the few things they'd been supplied with and picked up one of the spare pairs of amber-tinted anti flash glasses. Handing them to Mother, he backed up to the far end of the room and watched as she put them on. He couldn't tell from this distance if she was looking at him or scanning the room looking for threats.

'From this distance, it's impossible to tell what you're looking at Mother. The crowd will be further away and you'll be behind the President so no one is likely to realise you're scanning for threats.' Shane nodded, catching the extra pair she threw his way.

'It's gonna take some getting used to the way you see the world, Cub.' Mother grinned, pushing her glasses up to rest atop her head. 'But if it works to protect the President, I'm all for it.'

'Whoa, this is so weird. How do you cope with the distorted colour?' Shane asked, looking around slowly at his altered world.

'Been living with the glasses since I was eight, I don't notice it anymore. My brain automatically adjusts for the amber wash, it's no big deal.' Aloysius shrugged, a little self conscious as he handed another pair to Buck.

'I've often wondered what the world is like to you.' Buck chuckled, donning the glasses and going back to his ironing. 'This will take some getting used to.'

'This might just work, Avenger.' Shane nodded, going back to looking out the window. 'No one will notice anything untoward through these.'

Launching off Mother's shoulders, Raven landed lightly on Shane's rack and leapt up onto the windowsill, meowing for attention. Chuckling softly, Shane pulled his attention away from the view and stroked Raven's presented back softly, fully aware of the different personalities of the two cats. Alley was a total sook; she only had eyes for Aloysius. Raven was much more outgoing, content to accept affection from anyone and everyone.

Complaining loudly about being left behind, Alley paced Knight's temporary rack and looked at him, waiting to be picked up again. Smiling at her antics, Aloysius approached her and reached out his right arm, not quite close enough to grab her but close enough for her to get the message. Bounding off the neatly made rack, she ran up his arm and curled around his neck, purring contentedly as she settled.

'You'll have to stay here tomorrow, Alley.' Aloysius uttered, nuzzling her head lightly.

'You know she's going to complain bitterly, Cub.' Mother chuckled, walking over to join Shane by the window.

'Yeah, I know. She'll be okay though, she'll just be super clingy afterwards.' Aloysius grinned, nuzzling her again and chuckling when she licked his nose. 'Good girl.'

~#~#~#~#~#~

Standing just to the left of the President as he addressed the people again, Shane scanned the crowd slowly, trusting in Buck to back up his visual sweeps on this side while Mother and Aloysius covered the right flank. Standing to attention like this got tiring after a while but the search kept them from getting too bored with the ceremonial duties.

They'd already been at it for fifteen minutes and the speech was starting to wind up so perhaps the Intel they'd received had bee wrong. Maybe, just maybe, all of their precautions would be for nothing and they would all be able to relax. The crowd was hanging on every word, no one appeared to be a threat and Shane's instincts for trouble were quiet.

On the other side of the President, Aloysius raised one eyebrow behind the shade of his cover as he saw a black cat slinking towards a tree. Gaze swinging to the tree, he caught a flash of light off something metallic and his blood ran cold. Someone had really dropped the ball if that was what he thought it was.

Snapping around when Aloysius moved from her side, Mother didn't know what to think when he took the President to the ground, protecting the older man under his body. But something was wrong; Aloysius was way too limp to be protecting the President. Without thinking, Mother broke cover and scrambled across to drop behind the podium, rolling Knight off as the Secret Service guys hustled forward to grab the President and hurry him inside.

Jumping up when one of the assigned sniper teams opened fire and reported an injury to the fleeing sniper, Buck and Shane charged through the crowd, pistols raised as the pushed their way through the panicked civilians. Shane was first to break through the crowd and approach the downed sniper, levelling his pistol at the man's head. Buck was there a second later, snatching away the bag beside the man and checking him for any other weapons before rolling him over. Neither man could believe their eyes when they saw just who had been sniping at the President.

'You god damned traitor.' Shane snarled, picking up the bag and helping Buck drag their bleeding man back towards the building where they could hand him off to the Secret Service.

'a kill is still a kill.' the sniper smirked, dragging his right leg thanks to a perfect shot right through it, not bad for a sniper against a running target in the middle of a panicked crowd.

Back up behind the podium, Mother was cradling Knight to her chest, one hand pressed to the bleeding wound on the upper right of Knight's chest. Holding him tightly, she was using her own bulk to press against the matching wound in his back.

'Cub! Stay with me, Cub! Come on, open your eyes.' she called, scared out of her mind. 'Someone get me some help out here!'

'Paramedics are on the way.' one of the Secret Service guys offered, crouching beside her.

'Come on Cub, you can't give up yet.' Mother coaxed, rocking slowly as she gazed down at Knight as he lay so still and limp in her embrace. 'Come on Cub, open your damned eyes.'

Managing a faint groan, Aloysius slowly opened his eyes, looking up at her tear streaked face. He wanted to hold on for her, he knew she was trying to keep him alive until help arrived but he was so damned tired.

'Thanks Mother.' he gasped, back arching as fresh agony washed through him.

'Don't you dare quit on me, Cub. Hang on, help is on the way.' Mother demanded, holding him tight and pressing on the wound hard.

'Now I…know how…Rufus felt.' Aloysius uttered, mind alive with memories of that day in the warehouse, it felt like a lifetime ago now.

'No, don't say that Cub. Stay with me, we still need you.' Mother replied, ignoring her tears as she looked down at him. 'Avenger! Don't you dare leave us now!'

Oh how Aloysius wanted to follow her order and stay but he was so tired and it hurt so much. He'd been shot so many times in the past but this one was different. This one felt so much worse than any other time he'd taken a bullet. Eyes closing slowly, he relaxed into her embrace, listening as her voice faded away into the background.


	12. Choices

Drifting back into awareness, Aloysius got the fright of his life. He'd heard of people experiencing out of body experiences but he'd never dreamed that one day he would be floating above his own body as his friends worked with paramedics to save his life. He wanted to go back to them but no matter how hard he concentrated, he couldn't get back to his body.

'Peace, Aloysius. It isn't your time yet.' a soft voice called, drawing his attention from the ugly scene below him.

Drifting around him, smiling warmly to welcome him to the afterlife, his friends and loved ones all floated nearby, watching him closely. There was Rufus, back in his flight suit and looking at him with such adoration. Mel waited nearby, their baby girl clutching her hand and now much older. Behind Shane, Libby Gant was frowning, reaching out to Shane but he was oblivious to her presence now.

'Am I dead?' Aloysius asked, the question slipping out before he could silence it.

'Not yet. You're a fighter, Boss.' Rufus grinned, gliding towards him. 'Unless you feel like you're made up for the shadows of your past.'

'No, I'm not ready to go yet.' Aloysius uttered, turning his attention back to the team he'd be leaving behind if it was time for him to leave. 'There's still so much I haven't done yet.'

'Then when we have said what must be said, you will return to your team.' Libby nodded, looking up from her vigil over Shane.

Drifting towards him, Mel reached out to take his hand, squeezing lovingly before releasing his hand and looking down at Christine. Understanding what she wanted, Aloysius picked his little girl up, holding her tenderly to his chest with one arm.

'We've been waiting for you.' Mel uttered, stepping into his embrace willingly.

'I'm sorry Mel, I'm so sorry.' Aloysius whispered, looking into her dazzling green eyes.

'I know. It was never your fault; you were doing what comes naturally to you. You have no reason to continue to carry our deaths so heavily. You have our forgiveness and our unending love.' Mel soothed, leaning in to kiss him softly.

'I love you daddy.' Christine beamed, looking up at him with such innocent love.

'I love you too sweetie.' Aloysius replied, kissing her cheek softly. 'You'll always be my princess, no matter what.'

'I know daddy.' Christine nodded, relaxing into his embrace and tucking her head under his chin.

'You understand why we're still here, don't you Aloysius?' Mel asked, drawing his gaze back to her with a gentle touch against his lips. 'You know why we haven't left you yet, don't you?'

'I know, Mel. You're still here because I kept blaming myself for what happened to you both. I wasn't ready to let you go, I wanted it all to be a bad dream. But I understand now, this is as it is meant to be.' Aloysius nodded, holding Mel tight and rocking slowly.

'Say it, Aloysius. Let us go onward to the afterlife in peace.' Mel coaxed, gently taking Christine and holding her close. 'Please, you've kept us from joining our families for long enough.'

'Goodbye, my darling ladies. I'll see you again one day but now isn't my time. I love you both, so much. Be safe and send your loving thoughts down on me as I keep striving with my life.' Aloysius whispered, relaxing his grip on Mel as she faded away and disappeared into nothingness.

Looking down at the sight below their feet, Aloysius had to admire the dedication from his friends. They were still fighting for him, still desperate to bring him back to the fold and he was holding out on them. He was indulging his selfish desires while they fought for his life.

'Time is irrelevant now, Aloysius. What passes as minutes for us is just seconds to them. You have time to say your piece and hear our words.' Libby offered, watching Shane closely.

'Why are you here, Libby? We were never that close, we never had a chance to really get to know each other.' Aloysius sighed, turning to her slowly.

'I need you to carry a message back with you. I've tried to reach Shane directly but there is a barrier between us now. You are the only person I could reach to get a message to him.' Libby replied, reaching out to Shane but she couldn't quite touch him, no matter what she tried.

'I'll see that he gets the message, Libby.' Aloysius nodded, offering his hand slowly.

'Thank you Aloysius.' Libby smiled, taking his hand and stepping into his arms. 'Tell him that I love him and I'm so happy he's trying with another woman. Let him know that I support his choice and I know Renard is a good woman. I have watched her and I know she will make him happy. Tell him that I'm watching over him and will continue to do so until he's ready to let me go peacefully. One last thing, tell him to get a dog to keep him company. Not a big dog, one that can sit on his lap and cuddle when he needs company.'

'I'll make sure he knows, Libby.' Aloysius promised, using some of his old memory tricks to help him remember the complete message.

'I need you to know something too, Aloysius.' Libby continued, stepping back a little and grasping his hands. 'You carry no blame for what happened in France. I have never doubted that you would have done something to save my life if you could have. I had plenty of time to think about it and I realised that you were carrying my death around as a burden you didn't need.'

'I should have been able to do something, I'm better than that. I should have tried harder to save you, I wasn't good enough.' Aloysius sighed, looking into Libby's bright eyes and trying to find the words to apologise. 'I'm sorry it had to be that way for you. I wish I could have changed things.'

'You carry no blame, Aloysius. I knew the risks of becoming a Marine, I knew my life could one day be taken but I still fought as hard as I could.' Libby soothed, smiling fondly at him. 'It was my time. There was nothing you could have done to change that.'

'Any other messages you want me to pass on?' Aloysius asked, well aware that Rufus was still watching him.

'Yeah, tell Buck that his parents love him and they miss him terribly. Tell Mother that I said thanks for everything and that I'm watching her back now. Let them all know I'm watching their backs and sleep soundly in the knowledge I watch over you as well Aloysius.' Libby nodded, leaning into him again. 'Take care of my friends Aloysius; they need you as much as you need them.'

'I will Libby, you can count on it.' Aloysius promised, drawing her into another hug before she too faded from sight.

Turning back to face Rufus, Aloysius smiled as he was swept up in a loving hug and held like he was the only man in the universe. This is what he'd missed this feeling of being totally safe and loved against all odds.

'You know I'd rather keep you with me than send you back, don't you?' Rufus uttered, setting Aloysius back on his feet lightly.

'I know. I'd rather stay too but we both know I'm still needed out there.' Aloysius nodded, looking down at his living friends. 'I never thought it would be this hard to live without you.'

'You're doing fine, you're taking each day as it comes and you're pushing ahead. That's all I can ask of you, you're doing the best you can.' Rufus soothed, carding his fingers through Aloysius' hair. 'I like this new look, it's not what I expected you to do but I like it.'

'I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't continue to hunt, not without you by my side. Retraining and joining Shane's team seemed like the only option I had.' Aloysius admitted, leaning into the loving touch willingly.

'You made the right choice.' Rufus grinned, holding Aloysius close and infusing him with the warmth of love. 'I guess you saw my signals.'

'You and your black cats.' Aloysius chuckled, drawing back slowly and looking up at Rufus. 'I even got two to keep me company.'

'Alley and Raven, I know. I was with you when you found them.' Rufus nodded, tracing his fingers over Aloysius' cheek. 'But there is one thing I wish you hadn't done.'

'Tell me what and I'll fix it Rufus. You know all I want is your happiness.' Aloysius insisted, personally disappointed that he'd screwed something up.

'You have a beautiful gift, stop hiding it. I shouldn't be the only one to know that you have such a talent. Share it with those around you, they deserve to know.' Rufus guided, fingers gliding slowly down Aloysius' neck. 'Please, let people know you've got something amazing under this battle hardened exterior.'

'You know I don't like people knowing about that. But I've never been able to deny you anything so I'll do it, just for a select few.' Aloysius nodded, wary of revealing his secret but for Rufus he'd do it.

'I'm only thinking of three that would be thrilled to be trusted with something so important.' Rufus uttered, drawing Aloysius in close again and rubbing his back.

'I'll start there and see what happens.' Aloysius agreed, relaxing into the welcoming embrace and relishing the weight being removed from his shoulders.

Gasping as he was overcome with pain and the voices of his friends became louder, Aloysius sagged but Rufus was there to stop him falling. Clutching at Rufus, Aloysius was scared, he didn't know what was happening but he wasn't ready to say goodbye. He still needed Rufus to watch over him and make sure he stayed the course.

'No matter how many times you say goodbye, I will always stay with you Boss. I will wait for you, regardless of how long I must wait.' Rufus promised, looking down at the view below them. 'You have to go now, delay any longer and you will die.'

'Before I go, tell me this much Rufus. Did I make you happy in death as I did in life?' Aloysius asked, forcing his hands to release their grip on Rufus.

'You did, Boss. You made me so happy. I never dreamed I would be worthy of a place at Arlington but you made it happen. I never expected to be sent off with such fanfare and for that, I thank you. You made my life mean something to so many people and saw that I was interred with the honour I deserved.' Rufus smiled, rocking slowly as the stood there together.

'There's more you want to say, I can tell.' Aloysius chuckled, relaxing into the encompassing warmth of his lover.

'I am so proud of you for your tattoos and your dedication. You did all of this for me and that makes me happy. You promised to live every day in my memory and that's exactly what you're doing. I hope you continue to do so. So long as you live for me each day I will never be truly gone.' Rufus nodded, resting his hand over Aloysius' heart. 'I love you so much.'

'Where do I go next? I'm racing up the ranks but it doesn't feel right.' Aloysius sighed, swaying as he stood there. 'Point me in the right direction, where do I go now?'

'Those who can't do, teach. This injury will take you off active service but I know you are strong enough to get up again. Go back to where it all began, there you will find your answers.' Rufus replied, pushing Aloysius backwards. 'Never forget that I love you.'

'I love you too Rufus.' Aloysius called, stomach dropping as he was overcome with a distinct feeling of falling.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Bolting back to full awareness with a choked gasp, Aloysius looked up at the tearstained faces of his friends and found the barest hint of a smile for the, .he wasn't sure if what he'd seen was real but he could still clearly remember Libby's message so maybe it had happened.

'Don't try to talk, Cub. Just relax, we've got you.' Mother soothed, stroking his hair lightly.

'You gave us one hell of a scare, Avenger.' Scarecrow added, moving back reluctantly.

'Hang tight, Avenger. You're in good hands now.' Buck nodded, moving out of the way as the paramedics brought the stretcher over.

'Mother, stay with him until we get to the hospital. I've got a few questions for our sniper.' Shane instructed, crouching beside her.

'I will Scarecrow.' Mother replied, helping with the transfer. 'Don't you ever scare us like that again Cub. I thought we'd lost you.'

'Sorry about that.' Knight uttered, every breath sending fresh pain through him but he was alive.

'Hush now, Cub.' Mother warned, picking up his cover and discarded uniform jacket and shirt before following the paramedics off the steps.

Looking up at the sky as he was wheeled away, Aloysius couldn't help but smile. There overhead, gliding smoothly through the sky without anyone else knowing he was around, Rufus was still keeping his vigil.

'Someone was watching over you, Staff Sergeant.' one of the paramedics remarked, adjusting the blanket over Aloysius.

'And I think I know who.' Mother nodded, looking up at the sky. 'Thanks Alley Cat. Fair winds and following seas, old friend.'

'He knows Mother.' Aloysius panted, fairly sure he'd done a lot of damage with that shot. He couldn't get enough air but he was trying.

'I thought I told you to hush.' Mother chuckled, climbing up into the ambulance and settling back as he was lifted in and secured.

Drifting from a combination of post injury exhaustion, adrenaline wearing off and the drugs he'd been given to numb the pain; Aloysius was actually feeling pretty good. He felt miserable that he'd been shot and Rufus' words were running around in his mind but he knew that he'd been given a third chance to prove he was a good man. Summoning a tired little smile, he reached out to Mother with his left hand, relaxing as her strong hand wrapped around his fingers.

'You did good, Cub. We're all so proud of you. Don't you worry about anything now, Mother's got you.' she soothed, thumb running over his knuckles slowly. 'Shhh, just rest now Cub.'

'Ask later…Fox.' Aloysius whispered, eyes closing slowly.

'Hush, rest now Cub.' Mother sighed, wondering why he wanted to talk about Libby.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Rubbing both hands over his face, Shane scowled at the bound sniper kneeling on the floor amid the Secret Service agents. He was going with the tried and true silent treatment, refusing to answer any of the questions being asked of him.

'His name is Staff Sergeant Tobias Anderson, USMC. For six years, he has served at Parris Island, training new recruits for the Corps. Four years ago, he was transferred off Parris Island but he never turned up at San Diego as ordered. The Corps has been looking for him ever since.' Shane briefed, approaching Anderson slowly. 'I always knew you were a screw up Anderson but I never thought you would sink this damned low.'

'Strike a nerve, did I Captain?' Anderson asked, turning his angry grey eyes to Shane. 'Recruit Knight should never have gotten involved.'

'Staff Sergeant Knight now.' Buck growled, coming up beside Shane. 'He's twice the Marine you ever were Anderson.'

'ICG will never be stopped. You cannot hope to stand up against us all, Scarecrow.' Anderson taunted, uncowed by the legend behind the callsign.

'The ICG is nothing. I beat you once, doing again will be easy.' Shane replied, turning away from Anderson. 'He's all yours. The Marines will have nothing more to do with him.'

'Thank you Captain. The President is through there, he wanted to speak with you when the dust had settled.' one of the Secret Service men directed, pointing to the doors at the back of the room.

'Thanks McDaniels.' Shane nodded, glancing at Buck as they headed for the double doors.

Knocking softly, Shane waited for the next set of Secret Service agents to verify everything before they were permitted into the room. There was the President, a little scraped up and sporting a few bruises, his jacket, tie and dress shirt tossed off to the side as a very nervous paramedic checked him over.

'There you are Captain Schofield.' he called, waving Shane closer. 'What's the situation like outside?'

'The people are calming down, Sir. The sniper is in custody and everyone is watching for more threats.' Shane replied, tucking his cover under his arm and looking at his bloodstained gloves and tunic. 'Staff Sergeant Knight has been transported to hospital in a stable but critical condition. That one bullet did a lot of damage.'

'Will he survive?'

'Chances are good Sir.' Buck nodded, taking some of the stress of Shane for a few minutes. 'But we won't know for sure until the surgeons get in there and see what was punctured.'

'It was touch and go there for a while but Staff Sergeant Knight is a fighter, Sir. Not many can face Marine boot camp at age 36 and come out the other side with four honour graduate awards. He'll pull through, he's been through too much to quit on us now.' Shane added, peeling off his stained gloves. 'Permission to return to barracks and change, Sir.'

'That won't be necessary Captain. I sent Anna back to the barracks to fetch clean uniforms for you all. She should be back shortly with them. You can change in there and Anna will see to it that your uniforms are cleaned and returned to you promptly.' the President replied, pointing to an ornate screen in one corner of the room.

'Understood, Sir.' Shane nodded, turning smartly and walking over towards the screen. So much for slipping away to join Mother at the hospital.

Standing by the screen, they shed their stained tunics, folding them neatly and placing them on the table beside the screen. Plucking at his bloodstained shirt, Shane peeled it off slowly, tossing it and his tie onto the pile with his jacket and cover.

'Well, so much for this being an easy mission.' Shane sighed, peeling off his tee-shirt and wiping the blood off his skin.

'When have we ever had an easy mission?' Buck asked, rolling his eyes as he folded up his shirt and set it aside. 'Come on, you're the Scarecrow. Nothing goes easy for you.'

'Ain't that the truth.' Shane laughed, stepping behind the screen and dropping his pants. 'Remind me to talk to Knight about dry cleaning bills when he's feeling better.'

'Copy that Scarecrow.' Buck chuckled, scanning the room slowly.

A young woman in a dark suit entered through a different door, a blue overnight bag in her hand. Crossing the room quickly, she looked at Buck for a moment before looking around the room. Stepping back, Buck tapped Shane on the shoulder and he poked his head around the screen, shooting the woman a smile.

'You must be Anna.' Shane nodded, handing Buck his stained pants. 'I would step out but…well the Scarecrow deserves some secrets.'

'Here, I asked the duty officer to pack this for you. Just put your dress uniforms in it and I'll see they are taken care of.' Anna giggled, handing Buck the overnight bag.

'Thanks for this, Anna.' Shane offered, snatching the bag and disappearing behind the screen. 'Keep watch Buck, I'll be out in a minute.'

'I've got it covered Scarecrow. Just hurry it up, I don't like this any more than you do.' Buck sighed, looking down at the blood stains on his pants. 'Hang in there Avenger, we'll be there soon.'

'I'm sorry about your friend. Had he been with you long?' Anna asked, turning to out her back to Shane without taking her eyes off Buck.

'Four years with this team and he's got plenty left in him. He'll be out of action for a few months with this injury but he'll be back.' Buck shrugged, glancing over his shoulder quickly. 'Might have to get something to thank the duty officer for his foresight, hey Scarecrow.'

'Yeah, I know what'll make him happy for this.' Shane nodded, shoving his stained boxers and tee into the bag before starting to pull on the clean underwear and utilities that had been provided.

Lacing up the boots that had also been included in the care package, Shane checked the insignia on his collar were straight before stepping out into sight and sending Buck to get changed. Setting the empty bag on the table, Shane started to pack away the stained dress uniforms, hoping that all the blood could be removed. He didn't want the reminder of how close they'd come to losing Aloysius.

'The duty officer also provided a bag for Gunnery Sergeant Newman and Staff Sergeant Knight. What should I do with it?' Anna asked, hanging back and watching Shane pack away the dirty uniforms neatly.

'Leave it with me, I'll see it gets to them. As soon as the President allows us to leave, we're heading for the hospital to see them. Avenger won't need his for a while but I've no doubt Mother would appreciate a change of clothes. She ended up with most of his blood on her.' Shane replied, looking up from the packing.

'I'll go get it for you, Captain.' Anna nodded, hustling back towards the door she'd come in through.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Pacing the waiting room anxiously, Mother knew people were staring at her but she couldn't find the energy to care about that right now. She was worried for her Cub, he'd lapsed into unconsciousness during the short ride to the hospital and all attempts to revive him had been unsuccessful. Fearing the worst, he'd been rushed straight into surgery, the staff around him warning Mother not to expect too much but they would try.

Turning again, Mother went back to the chair where she'd left Knight's tunic and picked it up, looking at the bullet holes and the bloodstains front and back. She had his belt, cover and gloves too, all of it bearing the stains of what he'd done.

'Any news, Mother?' Scarecrow asked, appearing beside her with a blue bag in his hand.

'It doesn't look good, Scarecrow. He passed out during the trip here and the doctor I talked to warned me his chances weren't good. He's lost a lot of blood and they're pretty sure the bullet clipped a lung.' Mother replied, turning to her friends. 'You went back to the barracks first?'

'Nah, the President sent one of his aides to fetch clean uniforms for everyone. Here, yours is in this bag. The aide got one for Knight too so don't get mixed up with the gear.' Buck replied, holding out a grey overnight bag.

'Just put your dress blues back in the bag, we'll deal with them later. Right now Aloysius needs us.' Shane added, taking the tunic from Mother's hands and neatly folding it up before packing it into the blue bag he'd brought in.

Nodding slowly, Mother let Shane take the rest of Knight's uniform from her before taking the grey bag and heading for the nearest bathroom to change. Packing it away in the blue bag, Shane turned to Buck, pushing his worry aside and focusing on what needed to be done.

'Go find the head nurse. Tell her you are under my orders to collect Staff Sergeant Knight's personal property. If they refuse, tell them you need only make one phone call and they will have a presidential order to hand it over.' Shane directed, picking up the bag again.

'I'll handle it, Scarecrow.' Buck nodded, turning and leaving the waiting room.

Mother was soon back, setting the grey bag down beside the blue one and plopping down in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs. She looked a little more composed now but Shane knew inside she was terrified for Aloysius.

'You know, he said the weirdest thing just before he passed out. He wanted me to ask him about my Chickadee.' Mother remarked, resting her elbows on her knees as she looked at Shane.

'Any idea why he'd want to talk about Libby now?' Shane asked, puzzled by the comment.

'Not a clue, Scarecrow. He just said ask later…Fox.' Mother shrugged, thinking back to the few things Aloysius had said in the ambulance. 'Somehow he knew that Alley Cat had been watching over him as well.'

'No surprise there, he's always known that Alley Cat was watching over him.' Shane grinned, grabbing the grey bag as Buck returned with a large paper bag.

'Nah, this was different Scarecrow. It wasn't his usual comment, he truly believed that Alley Cat was right there with him.' Mother replied, going back to staring at the floor.

'Maybe he saw something while he was flat-lined.' Buck shrugged, taking a look in the bag he'd been given. 'Not much point in washing any of this, the nurses went a little crazy with the scissors and scalpels by the looks of this.'

'Got his tags in there?' Mother asked, lifting her gaze again.

'Yeah, right here.' Buck nodded, fishing them out and wiping them clean on what remained of Knight's pants. 'You want his watch and this as well?'

'What else is in there?' Mother asked, reaching out to take Knight's watch and tags.

Drawing out the chunky gold chain, Buck held it up for them all to see. Hanging from the heavy chain were three gold rings, one clearly designed for a woman and two more masculine in shape. Reaching out, Shane bundled up the chain in his hand and glared at Buck for a moment before looking down at the rings on the chain.

'Have a little respect, Buck.' Shane hissed, turning each ring slowly. 'I'm guessing this is his wife's wedding band and this one looks about the right size to have belonged to Alley Cat. This middle one is probably Knight's, his hands aren't that much bigger than mine.'

'He knows the rules on jewellery in uniform, why would he risk it?' Mother uttered, reaching out to accept the chain. 'It's fucking obvious this is important to him.'

'Maybe that's why he was wearing this. I'm pretty sure I've seen this flashing around his neck during PT before.' Shane added, handing the chain and rings to Mother. 'Keep it safe for him.'

'I will Scarecrow.' Mother nodded, tucking the shining chain and rings in her top right pocket and making sure the pocket was properly secured.


	13. Consequences

Taking a shift beside Knight's bed, Shane couldn't wipe the grin off his face as the taller man mumbled something incoherent and shifted slightly, face twitching in pain. Mother was going to be pissed that she hadn't been there to welcome Aloysius back to the land of the living. Shane smiled as he stood and approached the bed, resting his hand lightly on Knight's left shoulder.

'Easy Avenger, easy. It's okay, you're at the hospital.' Shane soothed, reading the tension in Knight's body. 'Relax, you're okay and the President is safe. Here, you must be thirsty.'

'Thanks.' Aloysius uttered, accepting the help to satisfy his thirst. 'Thought the others would be here.'

'Buck is having a nap in the family room down the hall and Mother went to get something to eat not ten minutes ago.' Shane grinned, setting the cup aside. 'How you feeling?'

'Like I did the Crucible along in 24 hours.' Aloysius grumbled, shifting again and wincing when his chest burned. 'How bad is it?'

'The doctor said you were one lucky guy. Any further to the left and some of the bullet frag would have hit your heart. As it was, they had to patch up two severe tears in your right lung, repair the bullet damage to muscles through your chest and back and remove frag from your shoulder.' Shane briefed, shaking his head slowly.

'Which muscles, Shane? Think hard, I need to know.' Aloysius requested, trying to work out what his chances of regaining full use of his right arm would be.

'Pectoralis Major and Pectoralis Minor, Intercostal muscles were affected and the Trapezius was torn through. The bullet ricocheted off two ribs as well, so there were bone fragments to pull out as well. A section of Costal cartilage was damaged; not a complete separation but you lost a piece.' Shane replied, checking the chart at the foot of the bed to be sure of what he was saying.

'Must be some new type of bullet. If it went right through, there shouldn't have been much frag in there. Bone frag sure but not much metal frag.' Aloysius mused, looking up at the ceiling as he thought it over. 'But that injury list certainly explains a lot of the pain.'

'Want me to get a nurse?' Shane asked, turning towards the door.

'Nah, I'm good. Pain is a sign I'm alive.' Aloysius grinned faintly, shifting a little. 'But you could do something about this pillow.'

Chuckling softly, Shane grabbed a fresh pillow from the cupboard and replaced the flat one Aloysius had been using. Fluffing up the old one quickly, Shane lobbed it back into the cupboard just as Mother wandered in; two take away coffees in her hands.

'Any change?' she asked, handing Shane a coffee. She jumped when Aloysius growled playfully, a running joke between them.

'He's awake Mother.' Shane laughed, leaning back against the wall and sipping his coffee.

'How're ya feeling Cub?' Mother grinned, walking over to take his left hand gently.

'I'll live. Sorry about scaring you, Mother.' Aloysius replied, looking up at her with a faint smile.

'I knew from the first day I met you that you'd be trouble. I was right.' Mother chuckled, setting her coffee aside to run her fingers through his hair. 'But you're my kind of trouble.'

Reaching into her pockets, Mother first pulled out Knight's watch and fastened it back around his wrist before hooking out his dogtags and slipping them carefully over his head. Toying with the chain for a moment, Aloysius looked up at Mother again, hope and desperation in his eyes.

'What about my other chain?' he asked, releasing his tags and nibbling on his bottom lip worriedly.

'I've been keeping it safe for the last couple of days.' Mother replied, reaching into her collar and unfastening the heavy gold chain from around her neck. 'It's been right here with me all the time.'

'Thank you for keeping it safe Mother.' Aloysius uttered, relaxing as she fastened the warm chain around his neck again. 'I don't know what I'd do without these.'

'Figured they were something precious for you to be wearing them in uniform.' Mother nodded, picking up her coffee again.

'A wedding and a promise in three rings. Mel's wedding band, my wedding band and the ring I gave Rufus when I promised to always be his man.' Aloysius explained, touching the three rings lightly as he spoke. 'I hated to leave these behind when I went to Parris Island but I knew it wasn't safe. As soon as I finished training, I put them on again and have never taken them off since.'

Noticing that Aloysius' eyes kept closing on him, Mother smiled and cupped his head in her hand lightly. Stroking slowly, she coaxed him towards a peaceful slumber, safe under the constant watch of his friends.

'Get some rest, Cub. We'll be right here until you're released, it's okay.' she whispered, watching over him until he dropped into a peaceful sleep. 'Sleep well, Cub. You're a hero now.'

~#~#~#~#~#~

Showing his friends that he knew how to handle life with one arm immobilised, Aloysius let Mother cut things down into a size more suitable for one hand eating then tucked in happily, barely noticing when one of the nurses entered to change his dressings. Pushing the table away, Aloysius leant forward a little more, giving the nurse space to work behind him.

'Looks like you're going to need to make a visit to a tattoo parlour when you're all healed up.' Shane remarked, coming around to look at the complex design on Aloysius' back.

'How bad is it?' Aloysius asked, glancing back over his shoulder.

'Ma'am, would you mind showing Staff Sergeant Knight the extent of the damage?' Shane asked, smiling at the pretty young redhead beside him.

Eyes closing, Aloysius felt where the nurse was tracing lightly and leant back into her touch a little, remembering the design and working out what would need a repair job to bring his back piece up to scratch again.

'Any damage to the portrait?' Aloysius asked, not really concerned about the contact he could feel.

'No, the damage is all around this odd looking fighter and the words Alley Cat.' she replied, cleaning the area around the sutures and applying a clean dressing.

'Alley Cat isn't just a random comment - it's the callsign of my best friend. He unfortunately passed away a few years ago.' Aloysius explained, thoughts drifting for a moment.

'Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.' she offered, smoothing out the dressing and guiding him back against the pillows.

'Thank you.' Aloysius nodded, settling again and relaxing as she released the complex sling set up keeping his right arm immobilised.

Keeping his gaze turned away from the injury to his chest, Aloysius was quiet, thinking about the promise he'd made to Libby while he'd been flat-lined. He still hadn't told Scarecrow about it, the timing hadn't been right and he'd been pretty much out of it for the first couple of days after the surgery. But perhaps now would be the right time to mention what he'd experienced.

As soon as the nurse was gone and Aloysius was comfortable, all four opened their mouths to speak. Chuckling softly, the other three turned their attention to Aloysius, their various comments could wait.

'I know we agreed that we'd never discuss my dance with death but there's something you all need to know. While I was flat-lined, I experienced something unusual. I didn't see the tunnel and the bright light or anything like that. I was just floating over the scene, looking down at your efforts to keep me alive. I wasn't alone though. Rufus was there, along with my wife Mel and our little girl Christine…and Libby.' Aloysius sighed, looking around slowly. 'That's why I wanted you to ask about her, Mother.'

'What are you saying? You saw the dead?' Shane asked, staring at Knight like he was crazy.

'Saw them, talked to them, hugged them and it all felt real. I don't know why or how but the fact remains that I have the memory of standing there over the scene and watching as you performed CPR on my body.' Aloysius nodded, toying with his gold chain.

'Why bring this up now?' Mother asked, scratching her head in confusion.

'Libby asked me to bring back a message from the other side. She's been trying to reach out and let Shane know she's still around but she can't get through to him. I know this sounds crazy but even now she's with him, she can't leave until he is ready to let her go.' Aloysius explained, glancing towards Shane and offering out his hand. 'Come here Scarecrow, you need to know this.'

Promising to wait just outside until they'd finished talking, Mother and Buck left the room as Shane approached the bed and curled his fingers through Aloysius' lightly. He wasn't going to mention it but Shane often had the distinct impression that someone was behind him even when he was completely alone.

'Libby wants you to know that she loves you and she's happy that you're trying with Renard. She supports your choice and knows Renard is a good woman. Libby has watched Renard and knows she will make you happy. She is watching over you now and will continue to do so until you're ready to let her go peacefully. You don't have to rush, you will know when the time is right and you will be able to let her go without it hurting. And one last thing, she wants you to get a dog. Not a big dog, one that can sit on your lap and cuddle when you need it.' Aloysius offered, grateful for his memory tricks.

'How did you know Veronique's callsign? I never told you that.' Shane uttered, staring at Knight in disbelief. 'Libby really is watching me, this is all happening.'

'Libby is watching over you Shane, open your eyes and you'll see her presence. I know Rufus is still around because he keeps using his black cats to show me what's important. Look and you will find her signals.' Aloysius nodded, releasing his grip and letting Shane back away. 'Keep an open mind; she may not be using foxes.'

'Libby had a real love for birds, particularly canaries. She'd always stop and listen when she heard them singing in the wild. She never could stand the sight of them in cages, that's why she never got one to keep. Libby believed they should have been free.' Shane grinned, turning and opening the window as little bit. Returning the smile, Aloysius motioned for the other two to rejoin them in the room, warning them to be quiet.

No one dared to move as a bright yellow canary fluttered through the open window and landed on Shane's outstretched hand, looking up at him curiously. Seemingly content with the safety of its perch, the tiny yellow bird fluffed up its feathers and started to sing, filling the room with life and joy. It only stayed for one song before flittering back out the window and disappearing from view.

'What was that all about?' Mother asked, watching Shane close the window and turn to Aloysius.

'Proof that Libby's still watching. In life she loved canaries in the wild, now she uses them to let me know she's here.' Shane replied, looking at the tiny scratches on his finger. 'I won't forget, Libby.'

'She asked me to pass messages to you both as well.' Aloysius added, turning his gaze to Buck and Mother with a grin. 'Buck, your parents love you and miss you terribly. They are so proud of you for all you've done. Mother, Libby says thanks for everything and wants you to know she's watching your back now.'

'I miss you, Chickadee.' Mother uttered, turning to look out the window for a moment.

'Fair winds and following seas Fox.' Buck nodded, bowing his head for a few seconds.

Thinking about the rest of what had been discussed during his out of body experience; Aloysius sighed softly and took the chance, trusting his friends to understand that there were some things that needed no words. The looks on their faces were priceless, obviously they'd never expected their battle hardened friend to show an inner beauty no one could have dreamed of. Aloysius wasn't surprised by their reaction, no one expected him to be able to do this so beautifully.

'You can sing?' Mother gaped, staring at him in disbelief. 'That didn't even sound like you.'

'Until now, the only other person I've shared it with was Rufus. He wanted me to share it again, he missed hearing it.' Aloysius confessed, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. 'It's not something I intend to ever make public, my gift is my own.'

'Thanks for the trust.' Shane nodded, squeezing his left shoulder lightly. 'Your secret is safe with us.'

'I appreciate that Scarecrow.' Aloysius grinned, adjusting one of the straps wrapped around his chest. 'I hate this thing.'

'Look at it this way, Cub. Only five weeks to go with it.' Mother shrugged, dragging her chair closer and ruffling his hair gently. 'You'll be fine.'

~#~#~#~#~#~

Three days after regaining consciousness, Aloysius' comfortable routine was rudely interrupted. He couldn't say much about the interruption though, he just had to bite his lip and accept that he was going to have to deal with this. At least the press had been kept out; he really wasn't in the mood to play nice for the cameras.

Sitting up a little more as the President entered the room, Aloysius glanced at his friends, requesting that they stay close for the moment. Nodding slowly, the trio stayed near the window, watching the situation unfold.

'Glad to see you're looking better today, Staff Sergeant Knight.' the President smiled, offering his hand. 'You have my gratitude for your actions.'

'Thank you, Mr President. Glad to see you're intact and unharmed, Sir.' Aloysius replied, shaking the offered hand with his left. 'Sorry about bleeding all over you thought.'

'Water under the bridge, Staff Sergeant.' he laughed, grabbing a chair and sinking down beside Aloysius. 'How did you know about the threat?'

'I saw the flash of sunlight off the weapon. I've had experience in spotting threats that others might miss. Your agents are good but there are some things that can't be taught.' Aloysius replied, glancing at the guards outside the room.

'So I can't convince you to join my security staff?'

'Sorry Sir but I've already decided where I'll go if this injury prevents me from returning to my team and getting back to combat service.' Aloysius shrugged, careful to keep his injured arm still.

'Oh, first we're hearing of this.' Shane remarked, cocking one eyebrow in question.

'I was going to talk it through with you three. You now I'll never run out on you if there's a chance I can get back to full service. But let's be realistic, there's a chance I'll never be cleared for full duty again.' Aloysius replied, reaching for his coffee mug. 'I'll try my hardest but we should be ready for all eventualities.'

'So what's the plan, Cub?' Mother asked, wondering how much Knight would reveal with the President in the room.

'Those that can't do, teach.' Aloysius smirked, tapping his forehead lightly.

'Pass the physical and I'll see that you get there, Avenger.' Shane nodded, understanding the signal.

'I appreciate that Scarecrow but if I'm going to do this, I want to do it myself. I'm good enough, if I can just get this arm to heal up properly.' Aloysius replied, absently rubbing the edge of the dressing on his chest. 'I can't stand in your shadow forever.'

Smirking now, Shane laughed and looked up at Mother and Buck, wondering if he should pass on what he'd overheard earlier. Seeing they were just as confused as Aloysius was, Shane nodded and leant back against the wall comfortably.

'Scuttlebutt says you won't be in anyone's shadow for much longer, Avenger.' Shane remarked, passing it off as casual but he knew he had his friends hooked.

'You've never been one for paying much attention to scuttlebutt, Scarecrow.' Mother mused, looking down at him in disbelief. 'What have you heard?'

'You're hopeless Mother.' Aloysius laughed, shaking his head in wonder.

'Well, apparently you're in for a big reward for your actions, Avenger. From what I heard, no one knows how big but it's something special.' Shane shrugged, eyes twinkling with mischief.

'I've already got a DSC, can't get much higher than that. Unless you're talking about a Medal of Honour.' Aloysius noted, head snapping around to the President. 'You're not…are you Sir?'

'If it can be done, Staff Sergeant, I will.' the President nodded, getting to his feet as one of his aides approached. 'I know you already have a few of these but another one can't hurt.'

'This will be number seven, Sir.' Aloysius nodded, accepting the case and flipping it open. 'First one as a Marine though.'

'And I thought Scarecrow had a collection.' Buck uttered, shifting his weight and resettling.

'I can't wear most of mine anymore, Buck. I've still got all the old Army ones but it'll be a long time before I wear them again.' Aloysius replied, tucking the case under his pillow. 'Thank you Sir.'

It took a few minutes of subtle then not so subtle signals before the President realised and left, allowing the team to settle back into their routine without his input on anything else that was discussed. It wasn't that Aloysius had anything against the President; he just didn't want him trying to tell Aloysius what he could and couldn't do.

'So you're really thinking of going to DI school?' Mother asked, not really surprised by Knight's decision but it stung to think of him leaving.

'Only if it's the only choice I have, Mother. I know that some injuries prevent a return to combat duty but I'm hoping I can still pass with this. If not, I'll go back to Parris Island and teach the next generation of Marines how to be the meanest SOBs ever seen.' Aloysius replied, reaching out to take her hand. 'It'll be okay, Mother. We'll get through this.'

~#~#~#~#~#~

Finally, after two weeks of frustrations and constant attention, Aloysius was getting out of here. Freshly showered and having managed most of his morning rituals on his own, he stepped out of the bathroom half dressed and approached the bed. His friends were right there to help him out, careful of his shoulder as they got him sorted.

It was a bit of a kick to his pride to need help to get his belt done up properly but Shane handled it respectfully, seemingly aware of how awkward this was for Aloysius. He expected getting his uniform shirt on would hurt but Mother was supremely gentle, guiding the well worn fabric over his arm and smoothing it out neatly before doing up his buttons and helping him tuck it in neatly.

Getting the sling back on was a bit of a job but they got it in the end, leaving Aloysius feeling a little shaky in the knees as he sat and let Buck deal with his shoes. Taking a few calming breaths, Aloysius pushed the pain aside, knowing that it was going to hurt for quite a while and there wasn't much he could do about it.

One good thing had come out of this mess but he suspected it wasn't as hard earned as he would have liked. But he'd been told it was a Marine decision, unconnected to what he'd done and he was happy enough with that. He hadn't been looking for any rewards when he'd leapt into action; he'd simply been doing what no one else could in that second.

Aloysius had gotten another surprise a few days before his discharge from the hospital. A senior officer had come to his room and congratulated him on his efforts before handing over a coveted set of Gunnery Sergeant stripes. Aloysius had been surprised to be picked to be a Gunny but now he had another reason to keep trying and get back to work.

But having been lifted up to Gunnery Sergeant, Aloysius was starting to doubt if he could stay with the team. Mother was one of the best Gunnery Sergeant's in the Corps; everyone knew her reputation and what she'd endured. Aloysius had a feeling that there would be a lot more people looking to try and pilfer one of Scarecrow's Gunnery Sergeant's and he knew he'd be the one more people wanted. Mother had already turned down several lucrative positions to stay with Scarecrow.

Thinking it over, Aloysius hade his choice. He knew it would cause a lot of upset but it had to be done. It wouldn't be righto force Shane to choose which of his friends he would keep; he would never be able to choose between them.

'Something on your mind, Avenger?' Shane asked, looking up at him as they stepped outside.

'Just thinking about what this latest promotion means. As much as we'd all rather I stayed with the team, we all know that people will ask for one of your Gunny's. Mother has already admitted to turning down some impressive offers of new duty posts just to stay with you. Logically I know I'll be the one reassigned, I'm the FNG.' Aloysius replied, adjusting his glasses quickly.

'That ain't necessarily true, Cub.' Mother corrected, swinging his bag over her shoulder. 'I'm up for retirement soon. I don't wanna go but my time is coming.'

'Mother, you're the best. There's no way the Corps is going to force you out just yet.' Aloysius replied, turning to regard her.

'Cub, I'm almost 50. I've given thirty years to the Corps, they won't ask for much more. And to be fucking honest, I'm tired of this life. I'm ready for something new.' Mother sighed, curling one arm around his back.

'We'll just see what happens. Rufus told me to go back to where it all started. After I've done a few years there, I have no doubt I'll be fit enough to return to full service. Only time will tell if I'm good enough to return to Recon service though.' Aloysius nodded, relaxing into Mother's strength.

'You'll figure it out, Cub. You always do.' Mother grinned; satisfied Knight knew what he was getting into now.


	14. Parris Island

It had taken another eighteen months of rehab, training and preparations but finally Aloysius was back where he wanted to be. Okay, maybe not exactly where he wanted to be but his concerns had been realised and Shane had been forced to make the choice between his Gunnery Sergeant's as soon as Aloysius had been cleared to return to duty. Aloysius had taken the choice away from Shane, putting his plan into action before the base CO had finished speaking.

So here he was, settling into on-base housing near the other DI's for Parris Island. As his belongings had been carried inside, he's gotten a lot of looks from the families along the street. But then, Aloysius supposed he looked a little out of place with his flashy car, high quality furniture and uniform. People were probably wondering how he could afford a Maserati on his salary. He suspected the looks would only get worse when people around him realised just who he was.

Sure enough, when he stepped out of the house to collect another box from the car, three young women were standing nearby. One was blonde and the other two brunets. All three were clearly military wives; Aloysius had seen enough of them to know.

'Ma'am.' he greeted, scanning another box off the back seat.

'Welcome to Parris Island.' the taller brunet smiled. She looked beautiful in her floral dress with her hair kept back by a white headband.

'Thank you, Ma'am. Been a while since I was back this way.' Aloysius nodded, setting the box down beside the car. 'Gunnery Sergeant Aloysius Knight, it's a pleasure to meet you.'

'I'm Amanda McGee, this is Betty Richards and Tamika Williams.' the blonde replied, shaking his offered hand warmly. 'Is there a Mrs Knight?'

'Not anymore. She died several years ago.' Aloysius sighed, looking away for a moment.

'Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.' Tamika offered, looking up at him with a soft smile.

'Thank you.' Aloysius nodded, glancing back at his car to see three kids admiring it up close. 'Yeah, I had a feeling that would draw attention.'

'How can you afford a car like that on a military salary?' Betty asked, also admiring the car.

'I come from money. Joining the Marines and working up to become a DI was something to do with my time; I never wanted to live a life of ease.' Aloysius shrugged, wincing when his shoulder protested quietly.

'Are you all right?' Amanda asked, reaching out to touch his arm lightly.

'Yeah, old injury that hasn't healed up fully yet.' Aloysius nodded, rubbing his shoulder lightly.

Turning at the sound of another woman coming towards them, Aloysius had to fight back his interest. She was stunning with her bouncing red curls, womanly curves and bright blue eyes, all complimented by her blue jeans and soft grey tee-shirt.

'So you're the new man on the block.' she grinned, offering her hand. 'Anna Johnson, it's a pleasure to meet you.'

'Gunnery Sergeant Aloysius Knight.' Aloysius replied, noticing the flicker of recognition in her eyes at the mention of his name.

'You're the one that saved the President, aren't you?' she asked, looking at him closer.

'Yes Ma'am, I am.' Aloysius confirmed, looking at the kids again. 'Looking is fine but scratch it and I will raise hell with your parents.'

'You can't tell us what to do, my dad outranks you.' one of the boys shot back, sticking out his tongue at Aloysius.

Walking back to the box he'd lifted out of the car, Aloysius opened it and lifted out the case on the top. Approaching the five boys, he crouched and opened the case.

'Does your dad have one of these? Unless he does, he must render proper respect to me, regardless of rank.' Aloysius inquired, letting the boys look at the medal in the case.

'Is that a real Medal of Honour?' one of the boys asked, looking up at Aloysius through his shaggy black mop of hair.

'It certainly is, young man.' Aloysius nodded, allowing the young boy to touch the precious medal lightly, pleased to note that this boy knew proper respect.

'That doesn't mean anything. My dad still outranks you.' the mouthy youngster shrugged, unconcerned about the high award.

'Oh, well we'll just see about that.' Aloysius grinned, lifting out the ribbon bar and pinning it to his shirt before closing the case and standing.

Putting the case back in the box, Aloysius scooped it up and carried it inside, waiting for the inevitable rush of Marines that would likely turn up to greet the new arrival on base. Aloysius couldn't be sure they would come; he was basing that thought off Army experience. Setting the box down among several others in the living room, Aloysius headed back outside and froze, looking at the group of Marines gathered around with their families. There must have been thirty odd Marines out there, men and women all looking at him.

Striding off the porch, Aloysius approached the Captain standing beside his car with the mouthy little brat and Tamika against his side. But the second the officer saw the little blue ribbon on Knight's shirt, he jumped to attention and ripped off a perfect salute.

'Gunnery Sergeant Knight, Sir!' he called, startling everyone as Knight rolled his eyes. Releasing their families, every Marine around him came to attention and saluted, recognising Aloysius as someone special.

'As you were.' Aloysius replied, stepping back and returning the salute. 'Rank means little when a Medal of Honour comes into play, kid.'

'Forgive my son, Gunnery Sergeant.' the Captain offered, looking down at his son. 'Now apologise Tommy. You know better than to disrespect a Medal of Honour recipient.'

'But dad…'

'You're already grounded for a month, don't make this worse.' Captain Williams warned, resting one hand heavily on Tommy's shoulder. 'I am seriously considering cancelling your camping trip.'

'Sorry Gunny.' Tommy scowled, not looking at Aloysius.

'You're looking for punishment, aren't you?' Captain Williams growled, squeezing his fingers lightly. 'No camping trip and you can help in the community hall for two months.'

'I apologise Gunnery Sergeant Knight.' Tommy offered, lifting his gaze.

'Apology accepted, kid.' Aloysius nodded, grabbing another box out of the car.

'Can we help with your unpacking?' a young Staff Sergeant asked, approaching Aloysius and motioning to the box he was holding.

'That would be appreciated, Staff Sergeant Knox.' Aloysius grinned, handing over the box.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Slotting into the new rhythm of his life, Aloysius got to know the Marines around him, making friends with his platoon DI's and making a point to never pull out his Medal of Honour unless it was absolutely necessary. He was trying to start over and work his way up; he didn't want anyone moving aside just because he was considered a hero.

For the most, he got along well with his fellow DI's - Jacobson, Knox and Matthews. He had them all on rank; Knox was a Staff Sergeant while the other two were Sergeants. Matthews was a bit of an ass but after flexing his muscles a little, Aloysius had brought him to heel. They were a mixed little group but they figured out their differences and came together like they'd been working together for years. Dennis Knox was solid and tall, with bright blue eyes and a Texas twang that had incredible power. Samuel Matthews was a skinny little twig of a black guy from Miami, stormy grey missing nothing. André Jacobson was tall and lithe, sleek muscles under black skin liberally marked with scars of combat and dark brown eyes that were constantly moving.

Then there was their SDI -Gunnery Sergeant Paul Jackson. If anything, he'd become even more of a hard ass over the last five years. Tall and solidly built, he was a man that had seen his fair share of combat and took no shit from anyone. He'd tried to get one over Aloysius but had quickly been put in his place again when Aloysius calmly pulled two challenge coins from his pocket and pressed them into Jackson's hand. It was hard to escape the fact Aloysius had a Presidential coin and one from the Marine Corps Commandant.

But there was something else about Jackson that had Aloysius very wary. He'd only seen it once, when Jackson was running past his house on a Saturday afternoon but once was enough. There on his left shoulder were three pairs of semaphore flags. Going back over his knowledge of the code, Aloysius had been stunned and left cold when he realised what had been right in front of him. If that tattoo was anything to go by, Aloysius' life was about to get complicated again.

For now he kept his knowledge a secret, there was no point stirring up trouble if it wasn't necessary. Besides, he would need some extra help to prove or disprove the presence of any serious trouble around here. For now, the smartest thing to do would be to wait, gather evidence and prepare lists of possible suspects. When he had enough proof, he would take his findings to the higher ups.

He had other things to think about right now. He would keep an eye out for more rogue operators among the personnel here but they couldn't be his primary focus. No one knew it yet but Aloysius was about to shake up recruit training with a bit of authorised fun. He'd been training Alley and Raven to do a few tricks, nothing too complex but certainly things that would attract attention. With those two on the prowl, no one would ever be able to doubt that the DI's knew everything that was going on.

Some of the tricks hadn't been easy to teach them but with practise and dedication to the idea, Aloysius had gotten the pair to learn what was needed and now they could do it easily. Other tricks had been so simple to teach the pair and they looked so adorable when they did it. Alley was his star student; she'd picked up every trick quickly. Raven hadn't shown as much interest in the tricks but he had proven to be quite adept at searching things out.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Striding into the barracks to meet their recruits for the very first time, Aloysius kept his face composed as Alley and Raven went to work, moving silently among the nervous recruits. This was just the first stage, getting the recruits used to the two shadowy cats in their cute little uniforms. Aloysius wanted the recruits comfortable with the pair before they started to show their talents to the recruits and turned their world upside down.

Stopping beside one recruit, a tall, lanky man from New York, Alley hissed and jumped up onto his back, reaching down to scratch at his top pocket. Glaring at the recruit, Aloysius said nothing, just pointed to the side of the gathering. Jumping down as the recruit scrambled to his feet, Alley went back to her patrols calmly.

Backing the recruit away from his companions, Aloysius calmly held his hand out for whatever Alley had picked up on. Naturally, the recruit didn't want to hand it over but he withered under Knight's angry eyes and handed over a pouch of tobacco and a pack of papers. Closing his fingers around the confiscated goods, Aloysius got right in the recruit's face, warning him about contraband before demanding the recruit hit the floor and start pushing.

There was something about the tobacco that didn't sit right though. Opening the pouch, Aloysius quickly realised what was wrong and sealed the bag up again before reaching down and grabbing the recruit by the collar.

'Gunnery Sergeant Jackson, this recruit had brought a baggie of marijuana with him!' Knight called, marching the recruit up to the front of the group and handing over the pouch and papers.

'Grab your gear, recruit. You're out of here now!' Jackson roared, grabbing the recruit by the collar and shoving him towards his rack.

'Does anyone else have anything they shouldn't have?' Aloysius asked, turning to the rest of the recruits. 'You might think you can hide it but I assure you, we will find it. You have a 24 hours grace period to hand it over. After that you will face the full discipline authorised.'

Slowly three more recruits got to their feet and headed for where they'd dropped their gear. Coming back to Knight, they haded over cell phones, cigarettes and an MP3 player. Then a fourth moved, very timidly approaching Knight and handing over a small bag of weed.

'You deal with pothead; we've got the other three.' Knox offered, holding out his hand.

'Come on pothead.' Aloysius growled, handing over the rest of the contraband before grabbing the last recruit by the collar and marching him over to grab his belongings.

Jackson was outside with the first recruit and several MPs as Aloysius escorted the second one outside with his gear.

'Another one?' Jackson asked, turning to regard Knight.

'Yeah, he was going to try and slip it past but thought better of it. Also got three for minor contraband - cigarettes, two cell phones and an MP3 player.' Aloysius nodded, shoving the second recruit into the hands of the MPs.

'Make sure you write up the formal reports and we'll see that those idiots over at reception get their asses kicked for this.' Jackson sighed, turning and heading back inside as the problem recruits were escorted away.

Returning to the barracks, Aloysius glanced at Jackson for a second before leaping straight back into the action. Snapping orders and getting right into the personal space of the recruits. This was the chaos Aloysius remembered, with four DI's screaming as recruits fumbled and struggled to keep up with what was being demanded of them. Jackson kept watch for a little while before leaving his DI's to get their recruits settled into their routine.

Without his Medal of Honour ribbon on his shirt, Aloysius was just like any other Drill Instructor, running around and yelling at the recruits to get organised. But there were flickers of recognition in the young eyes looking at him, they knew who he was and they were decidedly uncomfortable. It was one thing to face a DI; it was a completely new level to face a DI with a Medal of Honour. Aloysius didn't let that bother him though; he just kept going with his fellow DI's, pushing the recruits to respond quickly to the orders being given.


	15. Plans Into Action

Watching the way the other three DI's behaved around their recruits, Aloysius had the distinct impression that Matthews and Knox were up to something. Jacobson was pretty much behaving as Knight expected but the other two were acting very suspiciously to Knight's trained eyes. Jackson was hanging around a lot more than expected too and would occasionally pick out some of the better recruits to talk to them privately.

Normally Aloysius would have left it alone but when he saw a couple of the recruits with pictures of the same tattoo Jackson had on his shoulder, Aloysius realised what was going on and knew he had to put a stop to this. Aloysius knew it wasn't going to be easy to stand up against this corruption but he had to do something about this silent recruiting in the ranks.

At least he could take comfort in knowing he'd had a positive affect on these young lives already. The three planted agents had been recruiting for a week but the recruits that had been picked weren't stupid. They didn't like what was being said and so they came to Aloysius with questions about this top secret recruiting drive.

Now he had nine recruits in his office, all saying much the same thing. They'd been approached one of the three specialist recruiters about joining a secret branch of the military. They'd been promised their choice of postings if they agreed to report back to operations HQ on anything and everything they heard regarding technological advances.

Thinking it over quickly, Aloysius knew what needed to be done but this was risking everything he'd been working towards. If the ICG came after him again, every friend he'd made in the Corps would be at risk.

'Okay boys, here's what I want you to do. Sit down and write out everything that you've experienced with these specialist recruiters. Even if you don't think it's important, write it down and I'll look into it. When you've finished the reports, come and put them face down on my desk then go back out to your racks and continue on as if nothing has changed. If one of these specialist recruiters approaches you again, come back and we'll write out another report on the situation.' Aloysius briefed, spreading the recruits out in his office and standing in the doorway as they all bent to the task and wrote our their experiences.

This was really troubling to Aloysius, nine recruits in a week just in his platoon. With four platoons in the company, four training battalions and a still unknown number of specialist recruiters, they had a big numerical advantage over him. But they weren't aware that he knew and so there was a chance he could slip under their radar and get to the root of the trouble without anyone any the wiser to his plan.

Coming up with another idea, Aloysius knew it was a risk but he had a feeling that three of the recruits in front of him could handle the challenge. If they could, he'd have a constant source of information from inside the enemy camp without them realising anything was up.

'Goldman, Campbell and Carter, stay behind for a minute. I need to talk to you three separately.' Aloysius instructed, gaze sweeping the room slowly.

'Yes, Sir.' they replied, looking up from their reports for a moment.

Of all the recruits Knight had been working with, those three were the ones he saw going a long way. They were tenacious and determined to do well in life, exactly as Aloysius had been during his training. Frank Goldman was a big, solid young kid, just seventeen and already taller than Aloysius with a Memphis twang in his voice. Tyrone Campbell was a lithe little guy, very like Schofield in appearance but for his New Orleans accent and dark skin. Jake Carter was a tall, skinny boy from Miami, quick with ideas and always ready with a joke when there was time.

One by one, the rest of the recruits filed out, leaving a pile of reports on Aloysius' desk for his later evaluation before he went to command with his concerns. He wasn't sure how far up the chain this went so he would have to be careful.

'You three are the smartest recruits in this platoon so I've got a special assignment for you. I need more information on these specialist recruiters and I think you three are the best ones for the job. Campbell, I want you to get into Gunnery Sergeant Jackson's good books. Goldman, you do the same with Staff Sergeant Knox. Carter, I want you to focus on pleasing Sergeant Matthews. Whatever it takes, make them think you're exactly what they want for their top secret operation.' Aloysius briefed, walking over to his desk and pulling out a small white case.

'Is that safe, Sir?' Campbell asked, looking away quickly.

'Don't worry Campbell, I'll be listening to everything and if anything inappropriate is said, I'll be there to get you out of trouble.' Aloysius promised, opening the case and lifting out a false button.

'What is that, Sir?' Goldman asked, accepting the button and looking at it dubiously.

'This is a camera and this is a microphone.' Aloysius grinned, handing each recruit a little ear bud.

Accepting sewing kits, the recruits got to work, pulling buttons off their fatigue shirts and replacing them with the cameras as Aloysius set up the ear buds to transmit only to a slightly altered ear bud. His master bud would not only allow him to listen in on everything but it also transmitted to a recorder hidden in his desk.

Button cameras in position, tiny power packs hidden and ear buds tapped into place firmly, the three recruits were ready to get back out there and start their assignments. The buds were custom made and very special. It wouldn't matter how close anyone got to these recruits, no one would notice the tiny pieces of tech in their ears.

'Don't worry about your new gear. All of this stuff is designed to be waterproof but I only have a limited number of these buttons so make sure you keep switching the cameras to the next fatigues shirt you're wearing. When it comes to your PT gear, you'll just have to trust in your ear buds.' Aloysius nodded, quite pleased with his three agents.

'Yes, Sir.' they replied, straightening their shoulders and feeling more confident about the mission.

'Good. Get out there and do your best, whatever happens I will keep you safe.' Aloysius grinned, leaning back against his desk. 'And remember, tell no one of this mission.'

'Yes, Sir.' they nodded, filing out of his office and blending back in among their fellow recruits.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Constantly on the prowl for more signs of ICG influence on Parris Island, Aloysius kept up his outward appearance of a classic Drill Instructor, screaming at the recruits and forcing them to come together as a team. But not only did he watch over his own platoon, he had found a few DI's that were still clean and got them working with him so he had eyes and ears in every platoon.

There was something really odd about Matthews, something that Aloysius couldn't quite put his finger on but he got a bad feeling up his back every time he saw Matthews around the platoon. He wasn't the only one who felt it either; Jacobson had mentioned it late one night. They'd batted a few thoughts around but nothing could be proven.

Just this first month on duty here had put a dent in Marine integrity in Knight's eyes. He was still proud to be a Marine but with at least a third of the DI's on base proven or suspected members of ICG, he was starting to wonder how so many were getting through. ICG clearly wasn't as dead as everyone had thought.

He was compiling as much evidence as he could on the hidden organisation within the ranks, seeking out any possible leads and sorting out the dedicated members from those that weren't fully in with the enemy yet. Everything was kept in triplicate so even if his operation was discovered, he would still have the vital evidence.

Knight took extreme care that his dark operation wasn't detected, it wouldn't do for all his hard work to wind up earning him a bullet in the head instead of any real glory. But that said, he was still cautious to never leave his platoon unprotected either. He couldn't risk the known agents realising he had three of their best on his side. So after the other four headed home to their families, Aloysius would stay in the barracks with Alley and Raven, watching over the sleeping recruits and making sure they were safe.

That had been a wise precaution. Three times he'd had to deal with stray DI's coming into the barracks. Two were assigned to other training battalions and the third one wasn't with any of the battalions at the moment. Knight had quickly chased them out of the barracks and warned them about disturbing his platoon again.

Aloysius took some comfort in knowing that he wasn't waging this war alone with just DI's and recruits to back him up. He'd made a call to Scarecrow during his second week working with this platoon and given confirmation of the ICG presence. Schofield had then put the second phase of the mission into plan. Now the team was united again and all looking for more agents within the ranks of Parris Island.

Mother and Buck had both completed DI school and were now in with the recruits, Mother with the 4th training battalion and Buck with the 2nd training battalion. The only training battalion without a fully trusted agent was the third but Aloysius was satisfied that his double up system would work. Two DI's in each platoon of each company in the 3rd reported to him and they watched each other as well.

Shane was further up the chain, fitting in with the other officers and making it all look natural. No one could object to him doing a stint at Parris Island, he had just as much right as any other officer to do some time here. He worked hard to keep on top of the information from his team and still sought out enemy influences all around him.

Once a week they would meet at Knight's place and go over what they'd leaned, sorting out confirmed agents and looking at possible targets that needed their attention. Shane had found a few surprises in the upper sections, people he'd thought were clean that had turned out to be working with ICG. But that was the risk of this job; they had no way to know how far the ICG had infiltrated their Corps.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Returning to the barracks after a Sunday morning meeting, Aloysius was concerned to find André Jacobson waiting outside for him, a bloody fatigues shirt in his hand. Sprinting across to the door, Aloysius took the shirt and held it up, examining the blood and trying to work out who belonged in his shirt.

'Campbell's missing. No one's seen him since church.' Jacobson uttered, trying not to make it seem like a serious problem. Recruits had gone missing before but never like this. They usually turned up fairly quickly, having lost track of time or something like that.

'Any sign of Matthews?' Aloysius asked, briefly wondering if the hidden camera had recorded anything useful.

'He was late getting to church and slipped out early.' Jacobson shrugged, chewing his bottom lip nervously. 'You think Matthews did something to Campbell.'

'Wouldn't surprise me at all. Matthews is trouble, I've known that since the beginning.' Aloysius sighed, heading straight for his office. 'There's something you should know André.'

Plopping down behind his desk, Aloysius unlocked the bottom drawer and pulled out the video recorder, setting it on the desk even as he tapped his ear bud. He didn't need to say anything to get the message across his network. Right now, his alert was being passed to those that could help him.

'I'm not here to just be another DI, André. I'm here under orders from the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Ever since Staff Sergeant Tobias Anderson took a shot at the President nearly two years ago, the Joint Chiefs of Staff have been trying to eliminate a rogue organisation from the military. The Intelligence Convergence Group are total assholes, they'll kill anyone that gets in the way of American superiority. They've tried it with me twice and they tried to kill Captain Shane Schofield once. Trying to assassinate the President was the last straw. Now we're going proactive on these ICG assholes. Because of my prior knowledge of ICG and my work as an operative of the elite Delta Force, I was given the lead and full permission to at as necessary to deal with the threat. At the moment I'm staying dark, observing only and gathering evidence to reveal the full ICG organisation here at Parris Island.' Aloysius briefed, handing over a copy of the authorisation document for Jacobson to read.

Reading over the document carefully, Jacobson looked up when Buck, Mother and Schofield raced into the room, taking up positions along the wall and waiting patiently for the briefing that was sure to be coming their way.

'One of our agents has gone missing. Tyrone Campbell; originally assigned to get into Jackson's good books and report back on what he learned. Jackson's location is known, but Matthews has also gone missing. Matthews is suspected of activities beyond what is appropriate for a DI.' Aloysius nodded, accepting the document back from Jacobson.

'Any idea of where to start looking?' Shane asked, knowing that trying to search the entire Island for just two men would take days.

'Matthews is a sneaky shit. Try down around the Crucible. That's the kind of territory he likes.' Aloysius guided, trusting in his friends to get it done.

'We're on it, Avenger.' Buck nodded, slipping out of the office quickly.

'Keep us updated, Cub.' Mother added, thundering out after Buck. 'Uh…Cub!'

Getting to his feet at Mother's call, Aloysius was just getting to the door of his office when she came back, Campbell tucked under her arm and looking like he'd gone three rounds in a sparring ring. Sighing softly, Aloysius guided the young recruit away from Mother and leading him towards a chair in the corner.

'Where've you been Campbell? You had us worried.' Aloysius asked, sitting him down and grabbing the medkit from the shelf.

'We'll finish this discussion later, Aloysius. Come on, everyone else out.' Shane added, pushing off the wall and ushering Jacobson out of the office.

'Of course, Sir.' Aloysius nodded, glancing up from his work. 'What happened, Tyrone? When Sergeant Jacobson showed me your bloodied shirt, I feared the worst.'

'Sorry, Sir.' Campbell uttered, sitting perfectly still as Aloysius cleaned him up.

'Its okay, Tyrone. No one will know what we discussed.' Aloysius coaxed, trying to avoid having to report this to higher up. 'Did Sergeant Matthews do this?'

'This recruit would rather not say, Sir.' Campbell replied, hanging his head.

'You won't get in any trouble, Tyrone. You can trust me, its okay. If Sergeant Matthews threatened you in any way, you need to speak up.' Aloysius continued, trying to rebuild whatever had been damaged by this latest situation.

Hunching his shoulders, Tyrone sniffled pathetically and lifted his shirt, revealing a large dressing on his right side. Peeling the dressing off, he turned his face away as Aloysius finished removing the blood spotted gauze. There on his side, speckled with blood and so obviously fresh, Tyrone was now wearing the ICG semaphore flag tattoo. But instead of black ink, his was done in white ink so it really stood out against his dark skin.

'Sergeant Matthews wouldn't take no for an answer. He said he was under orders from Gunnery Sergeant Jackson to see I was welcomed into the top secret ICG.' Tyrone uttered, trembling in shame as he sat there. 'It hurt so much, Sir.'

'I know how much it can hurt, Tyrone. No one had any right to force you to go through this, especially not when you're only 17.' Aloysius soothed, cupping Tyrone's head lightly. 'Why didn't you say something? You know I would have come after you if I knew.'

'I couldn't, Sergeant Matthews told me he'd see I was thrown out if I so much as whimpered.' Tyrone shrugged, flinching when his side pulled.

'That's not going to happen Tyrone, I promise.' Aloysius nodded, guiding Tyrone to lean on his shoulder. 'I'll keep you safe, everything will be okay.'

'How do I get rid of this thing?' Tyrone asked, unable to help the hot tears falling down his cheeks.

'Right now, there's not a lot you can do about it but give it a couple of weeks and I'll take you to see a friend of mine. He'll make that ugly mark disappear.' Aloysius offered, making damned sure this kid knew he would be safe now. 'Don't worry about the cost, I'll take care of everything.'

'Thank you Sir.' Tyrone nodded, drawing back slowly. 'Are you sure it's safe to continue training with this thing? I don't want to get it infected or anything.'

'I've got some waterproof dressings here, they won't stop all the water but at least they'll block the mud. You'll just have to be careful and work on your left as much as possible.' Aloysius guided, easing Tyrone back and grabbing one of the large dressings. 'I had these for my big back piece, they work great.'

Smoothing the large dressing into place and making sure the edges were stuck fast, Aloysius grinned and tugged Tyrone's shirt down, making him look presentable again. Accepting the clean fatigues shirt Aloysius was offering, Tyrone looked at the bloody one on the desk and swallowed quickly, disturbed by the reminder.

'Don't worry about it, Tyrone. I'll handle the clean up. No one else will know about any of this.' Aloysius grinned, squeezing his shoulder lightly. 'I even switched the camera over but if you don't want to be part of this anti-ICG movement anymore, I understand.'

'You can count on this recruit, Sir.' Tyrone nodded, absently checking his ear bud was still in place.

'Good man Campbell.' Aloysius replied, ushering him out and following him into the main body of the barracks.

Matthews was in there, screaming at five recruits as they pushed for their lives. He could see Buck behind Matthews, eyes wide in shock as blood dried on his face. Asking Buck for the story with a tilt of his head, Aloysius' temper went through the roof when Buck just pointed at Matthews. But he didn't go charging in head first, instead Aloysius reached into his pocket for his cell phone, a new plan in his mind.

Hitting the speed dial, Aloysius made his way through the barracks, calming the other recruits with his presence. Relaxing slowly, Aloysius slapped on a grin as the call was answered promptly and he was given the usual greeting.

'Good morning, Sir. I do apologise for interrupting your peaceful Sunday but I have a situation here that requires attention from someone much higher up the ranks.'

… … … …

'No, unfortunately Captain Schofield isn't going to have any effect on this situation. This particular Sergeant seems to think he's untouchable.'

… … … …

'Of course Sir, I would not call without first having proof. I have not requested the written report yet, would a verbal report do, Sir?'

… … … …

'Very well, Sir.' Aloysius nodded, turning to Tyrone. 'I know you're nervous Tyrone but this needs to be done. Mind your manners though, you're about to talk to someone very important.'

'Yes, Sir.' Tyrone nodded, accepting the phone as Aloysius guided him to sit on the nearest rack.

… … … …

'Recruit Tyrone Campbell, Sir.' Tyrone's eyes were wide in shock, he'd never expected to be speaking to this man of all people.

Guarding Campbell like a protective tigress as he relayed his story, Aloysius knew Matthews was about three seconds away from a full rage. Calmly, Aloysius slid into a combat stance and dared Matthews to try it against him.

'You sure you want to try it with a trained Recon Gunnery Sergeant with ten years Army experience, four years of which was in Delta?' Knight challenged, noting with some pride that Buck had sent the rest of the platoon to the far end of the room.

'You don't scare me Knight.' Matthews spat, approaching quickly and bringing up his fists.

Slapping away the first strike, Aloysius turned and clamped his left hand over the back of Matthews' neck and forced him down even as he brought his right knee up and knocked the breath from the younger man. Continuing to swivel on his left foot, Aloysius shoved him to the ground and knelt, planting one knee between Matthews' shoulders and grasping his wrists in one hand.

'Sir, the General wants to talk to you again.' Campbell grinned, holding out the phone.

'Sorry if you heard that Sir, Sergeant Matthews decided to try and make things violent.' Aloysius offered, applying more pressure when the younger Sergeant tried to squirm away. 'Tyrone, go to my office. In the top drawer you'll find some handcuffs. Quickly now.'

'Yes, Sir.' Campbell nodded, racing back towards Knight's office.

Listening to the instructions coming from the other end of the phone call, Aloysius couldn't wipe the smirk off his face. It looked like he was going to get an unplanned promotion out of this. From the sounds of what he was being told, Matthews wasn't the only one that would be removed from service. The General was mad as hell and demanded that Gunnery Sergeant Jackson be removed from service as well.

'Sir, I have also noticed that Staff Sergeant Knox is in league with Jackson and Matthews. Would you like him removed as well?'

… … … …

'Yes Sir, I understand completely Sir. It will be done as you order.'

… … … …

'I will tell him, Sir. Once again, I apologise for interrupting your peaceful Sunday, Sir.'

Shoving his phone back in his pocket, Aloysius grinned as Campbell returned with three sets of handcuffs in his grasp. Taking one set, Aloysius firmly secured Matthews and dragged him to his feet. This was going to be so much fun.

'You should have walked away while you had the chance. As we speak, the Commandant of the Marine Corps is calling the base CO. you're about to spend a long time in Leavenworth, traitor.' Aloysius spat, marching Matthews towards the doors. 'Book, would you mind keeping an eye on my recruits for a little while. This shouldn't take long.'

'Your recruits Sir?' Buck asked, picking up on the hint and running with it.

'The General has ordered Jackson and Knox removed as well. He has authorised me to step up and take the SDI role to be certain no more ICG agents get in here.' Aloysius nodded, shoving Matthews out the door.

~#~#~#~#~#~

An hour later, Aloysius came back to the barracks with three new DI's and Jacobson. The recruits were all busy rearranging their footlockers and making their bunks with fresh sheets. Buck must have told them that things would be a little different with Aloysius in charge of their training. Discipline would still be strict but they didn't need to fear Aloysius as they had feared Jackson. He was still their Senior Drill Instructor but he was also their confidant and father figure when they needed guidance.

Keeping quiet and watching the recruits pull together and make their barracks perfect, Aloysius quietly cleared his throat and watched the boys almost fall over each other in their hurry to get into formation in front of him.

'Settle down boys. Now, meet your new Drill Instructors. Sergeant Jacobson you know. Sergeant Michaels, Sergeant Chang and Sergeant Hammond will take over now that we've gotten rid of the problems in this platoon.' Aloysius announced, looking around at his recruits and planning their training regime out to make them the best they could be.

Nodding at the positive responses from the recruits, Aloysius turned and left the barracks, trusting his hand picked DI's to do everything to make sure this platoon was worthy of following Knight onto the parade deck in just eight weeks.

'If any of your boys need me, I'll be moving my stuff into my office.' Knight added, glancing towards Buck in invitation as the recruits responded to him quickly.

'You're a bad man Aloysius.' Buck uttered, shaking his head in wonder as he came up beside Aloysius. 'First intake and you're already the SDI.'

'It's not like I was trying to do that. At least it keeps something consistent for these recruits and it gives me more power to investigate the ICG agents around here.' Aloysius shrugged, listening to his DI's for a moment. 'After this lot graduates, I'll probably be demoted back to a DI but I doubt they'll make me start from the bottom again.'

'You're too damned smart for your own good sometimes.' Buck smirked, following Aloysius towards his office.

'Hey, if the government wants to pay me extra to get rid of ICG for them, I will. I do hope it doesn't take too long though, I don't really want to be doing this forever.' Aloysius chuckled, entering his office and starting to pack up his things.

Moving into the SDI office was an easy process, Shane had taken care of it on Aloysius' request. All that was left in the office were three stacks of white boxes - seven in total. Three were marked with Jackson, everything ICG related that had been taken from his possession. Only one had Knox written on it, the last three had been taken from Matthews. Aloysius had a feeling he would find some very dark things in there.

Putting the first box down on his desk, Aloysius' attention was caught by the thick folder that had been left there. It was clearly marked "Known ICG Agents Beyond Parris Island" but Aloysius couldn't work out why the hell it was signed André Jacobson in the bottom corner of the front corner. Picking up the folder, he put it with the rest of the suspicious material and went back to his moving, planning to deal with it later.

Coming back with another box, Aloysius was even more confused to find André sitting in his new office with the folder in his lap. Whatever this was all about, Jacobson wanted to talk about it now, while everything was a bit of a mess and Aloysius was still trying to sort out where to turn next.

'Alright, André. We'll talk this over.' Aloysius nodded, setting his box down and walking over to tap the folder. 'What's the story?'

'They tried it with me a couple years back but I turned 'em down. Told 'em I didn't want anythin' to do with secret missions and dark operations, not now that I had a family to look after. Lot of my friends signed up though, they were caught by the offers of big money and great postings all around the world.' André explained, looking down at the folder. 'I kept notes on which of my buddies they took, tracked 'em as best I could through any channel I could. This is everythin' I got.'

'Why give it to me though? With Intel like this, you could have taken this post from me already.' Aloysius pushed, knowing there had to be more than that to all of this.

'I ain't looking for glory or anythin' like that. At first, I was lookin' out for my buddies, makin' sure they were safe and cursin' the ICG for destroyin' their lives. Then I heard my brother had joined ICG and I started watchin' out for him as much as I could. I found out who killed him and I swore I'd have his head. But now, I've come to realise that revenge isn't the right idea.' André sighed, handing over the folder.

Returning to his desk and flicking through the paperwork he'd kept in his bottom drawer, Aloysius pulled out a single page with thirteen names listed in order of rank and a photo of the original sixteen man team. Right there in the middle, Sergeant Taylor Jacobson. Flipping to the photo, Aloysius found him in the group and his blood went cold. There was no mistaking the family resemblance now that he was forced to confront the truth.

Putting the document down and removing his campaign cover, Aloysius set it aside and approached André, trying so hard not to think about that disastrous night in the Sudan so long ago. Thirteen lives snuffed out in minutes, it still haunted him every day.

'I know it's of little consolation, but your brother died quickly. I tried to make the kills clean, it was the least I owed men that had been blinded by promises that would never come true. I knew those men, we'd trained together and fought together but I never suspected any of them would try and kill me or my friend.' Aloysius sighed, unable to look André in the eye. 'I'm sorry, I know that doesn't mean much but it's all I can offer anymore.'

'Just tell me how he died. The Army wouldn't tell us and they said the body wasn't recoverable. We ended up cremating some of his favourite things just so we had something to put in his urn.' André insisted, keeping his voice down so they weren't overheard.

'It was a clean kill. Right through the forehead with my pistol. The men that came after weren't so lucky but I tried my best. As for why the body was unrecoverable, another ICG agent put a Thermite-Amatol charge at the base of the lighthouse we were fighting inside. I figured that asshole Brandeis would try something like this so as soon as I saw him getting into the Blackhawk my buddy had been forced to abandon, I hooked up and we rappelled into the storm cellar at the bottom of the lighthouse. Took us two days to dig out but there was nothing left of anyone else but bloody smears on the rubble.' Aloysius sighed, closing his eyes as the memories assaulted his mind.

Jumping a little when two heavy hands landed on his shoulders, Aloysius looked up at André to see tears in his eyes. It was clear in that moment that the Jacobson family had never had any real closure on the loss of their son Taylor.

'That's all we ever wanted to know. We just wanted to know how and why. Thank you Captain, you have given us the closure we never had.' André offered, squeezing gently.

'Captain no more. I gave up my commission to start over fresh.' Aloysius replied, resting his hands on André's lightly.

'My parents will be coming for graduation, it's a bit of a tradition. I think it would help them if you at least let them know Taylor didn't die in pain. Spare them the details, they're too old for such harsh things now. Let them know he died with honour and dignity or something. Just bring them some closure.' André coaxed, dropping his hands slowly.

'You point them out to me and I'll spin them a story of a heroic son that died serving his country proudly. I'll let them know he left this world without pain and died in the arms of a friend.' Aloysius promised, hoping it was good enough.

'They'd like that Gunny. Sometimes a small falsehood is the best option.' André nodded, turning smartly and leaving the office.


	16. It's Over

Watching as another line of traitors was marched onto a bus and escorted off the famous grounds; Aloysius sighed and removed his campaign cover, absently wiping the sweat from his face. Two years of blood, sweat and tears to get to this point and finally the end was in sight. Tomorrow the big brass would be arriving on Parris Island to oversee the removal of the last traitors from these sacred grounds. They were already secured but the higher ups had insisted on making a big day of finally freeing their Island from enemy hands.

Donning his Smokey Bear again, Aloysius turned sharply and headed back to the barracks. Trying to balance his commitments as a Drill Instructor with the events the President asked him to attend and still working on removing ICG from Parris Island had tested Aloysius to the limit. Somehow he'd managed five graduations, producing the honour platoon twice and presenting some of the finest marines to ever come off the Island.

Tomorrow…oh how Aloysius was starting to hate that word. Tomorrow always meant another problem, another ugly situation he didn't want to deal with. If one more person told him tomorrow would be better, he didn't care who they were, he was going to deck them. He'd had enough of Marine tomorrows and he knew it wasn't going to end any time soon.

At least he didn't have to lead every mission to remove the ICG from the armed services. With a few months on his hands without recruits, he'd gathered a varied group of 100 service men and women from all five branches, people that had been checked thrice and proven to be clean. He drilled this group hard, training them how to spot the ICG agents in the ranks and teaching them how to use the people around them as a spy network without alerting anyone.

It had taken three months but Aloysius had finally been satisfied with their results when they confirmed information regarding agents on the Island without anyone being any the wiser. Giving them his best wishes and promising to be available to call if anyone needed more help, Aloysius sent them back out into the wider military community and watched the results come rolling in within weeks.

With a great sweep, his students went through the military, picking apart the layers to reveal hundreds of enemy agent's right under the noses of the senior staff. It was incredible work from people that had only had three months to learn what Aloysius had refined and practised for years. The claws of ICG were revealed to be sunk in much deeper than anyone expected, going right up the chain almost to the highest levels within every branch.

But tomorrow - there was that hated word again - it would all be over. With the coming dawn, the last vestiges of ICG would be torn from their cosy hiding places and tried for treason before disappearing into the blackest holes the Joint Chiefs could find. Now that would be a glorious moment, one that everyone involved had worked so hard to see.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Standing off to the side as the last traitors on Parris Island were loaded onto the waiting transports and driven off the depot, Shane watched Aloysius talking to the senior staff that had come to see the project come to its final conclusion. He seemed so comfortable surrounded by men of such power, talking amicably and proudly sporting his Medal of Honour to reinforce his superiority. Shane couldn't match that sort of confidence; he was always awed when he got to be near anyone of great rank.

Coming up beside him, Mother and Buck looked at home with their lives here, fitting in with the rest of the DI's and making the best of their situation. Shane envied them both, they were comfortable with their positions and were able to talk to ranks above and below their own standing. Shane was fine when the people he was speaking with were close in rank, two grades apart at most. Any higher than that and he struggled to keep a clear head. Any lower and they were overcome by his reputation. There were a few exceptions to the rule but for the most, he just wasn't comfortable when the rank gap got too big.

At least now that this fiasco was over with, they could all go back to their normal duties. Aloysius had proved he was fit to return to normal service so hopefully they would be on their way soon. Shane had had enough of this instructor routine, he wanted back into the thick of battle but he wouldn't go without his friends and they knew it.

Smiling at the sight of Alley and Raven running back to Aloysius, Mother adjusted her Smokey Bear and waited to see what Aloysius would do with his cats now. Drawing the attention of the senior staff to the black cats sitting by his feet, Aloysius demonstrated just what he'd taught the sleek animals. On his signal, they both came up onto their hind quarters and saluted the senior staff. They looked adorable sitting there in their tiny little uniforms complete with Gunnery Sergeant insignia on their shoulders and sweet little brown rounds on their heads. Finishing off the look they both wore little sky blue collars with white stars and golden tags.

Standing silent witness to Aloysius' antics, the three old friends smiled and shared a proud look. From the shattered man they'd seen after Rufus' death, through the reforming months training and onwards up the Marine ranks, he was a changed man.

'Think this will slow him down? I don't think there's much more he can do without starting towards a commission but with those tattoos, you know that's going to be rough.' Buck grinned, watching Aloysius parade his cats for the senior staff.

'Somehow I don't think he'll go that route. I think he's happy here, training recruits and giving freely of his knowledge. Can't say I blame him, he's got a lot to offer the Corps.' Shane replied, idly noting that Aloysius was using a new signal.

Running across to the trio, Raven meowed and curled around their ankles a few times before turning back towards Aloysius. Looking back at the trio, Raven meowed again, almost as if he was trying to tell the trio to follow him.

'Alright Raven, we're coming.' Shane laughed, straightening his cover and following the inky black cat across to join the main group.

'What's Cub doing now?' Mother uttered, stooping and gathering Raven into her arms as they broke into a light jog.

Welcoming Alley up onto his shoulders, Aloysius smiled warmly as his friends joined the gathering and Raven jumped across to settle beside his sister. It was a tight fit but somehow the pair found it comfortable, heads on opposite sides as they watched the world go by.

'Something we can help with, Sirs?' Shane asked, looking around slowly and trying not to look like a total idiot surrounded by so many men of high rank.

'Not us specifically Captain. It appears Gunnery Sergeant Knight is having trouble making up his mind where he wants to go now.'

'Not true, Sir. I know what I want but I won't turn away from my friends again.' Aloysius sighed, turning to his friends. 'I joined the Corps to find my feet again after losing the one who always made sure I came home. I can't walk away from them again, they're the only reason I keep getting up in the mornings.'

'What do you need, Cub?' Mother asked, noting the pain in his eyes.

'I need to know which way to turn, Mother. I know we promised we wouldn't make Scarecrow pick between his Gunny's but I can't stay out in the cold like this.' Aloysius uttered, dropping his gaze slowly. 'I don't care where we go, I just want to be with my team again.'

'All you had to do was say something Avenger.' Shane grinned, looking around at the Island that had become home. 'After everything we've done, I don't see why the Corps wouldn't reward our efforts with the permanent posting of our choice.'

'You really think so, Scarecrow? I thought you hated this slow pace.' Buck remarked, eyeing Shane curiously. 'This is a big change from normal duties.'

'That's why I like it Buck. Five times the hero, I've had enough of saving the world from crazed psychopaths. And it wasn't the slow pace I was against, it was the knowledge that our Corps had been infiltrated so easily. At least if we're here, the Corps can relax knowing that agencies like the ICG will never again be able to recruit from us.' Shane replied, regarding his friends with a fond smile. 'Will that work for you Avenger?'

'Don't worry about me, Cub. I've been talking to some of the other older personnel around here. So long as I'm fit enough, they'll keep me around.' Mother added, wondering just how many years she could handle life on the Island. 'I already called Ralph, he's looking forward to the permanent move and maybe settling down to retire.'

Lighting up with joy, Aloysius nodded and turned to the waiting senior staff, reaching up to make sure his cats were safe and comfortable on his shoulders. If his friends were going to stay on with him, he knew where to go next. But there was something blocking him. A minor concern really but he knew it should be dealt with.

'Sir, I have served the Corps faithfully for almost eight years and done so much to improve our legend against the other services. Not once have a taken a day off unless I was recovering from a severe injury. So now I'm asking for a few months to attend to other business that I've been trying to deal with via email and phone. At most I would need four months to dedicate to my business.' Aloysius continued, turning back to the senior staff waiting nearby.

'I see no reason why the Corps couldn't spare you six months to do whatever you need to before you swing back into action here at Parris Island.' one of the Generals nodded, motioning for his aide to approach and start to make the arrangements for Knight's leave.

'Thank you Sir.' Aloysius grinned, digging out his phone and sending off a quick text to persons unknown. 'It's okay Mother, I'll be fine. This needs to be done, I've been ignoring this business for too long, I have to go back and check things over.'

'I know, Cub. But I can still worry about you.' Mother replied, slipping one arm around his waist lightly. 'You're one of us now.'

'And I always will be.' Aloysius chuckled, glancing back over his shoulder for a second. 'I could use some help packing up the stuff I need and loading up the ICG evidence into the General's car.'

'Sounds like a plan.' Shane nodded, turning with his friends and heading towards the on base accommodation as the General headed for his car.

~#~#~#~#~#~

Bidding farewell to the General, Aloysius returned to the front porch and sat with his friends, accepting a beer from Mother as they waited for his arranged ride to turn up. Sure, he could have taken the Maserati but he'd decided to show his friends the side of him that few people got to see. His friends knew he had money to spare but they had no idea what he did with his hard earned millions and they had no clue that he'd joined the Army to avoid becoming like his father - wealthy and doing nothing with his time. But now he was hardly recognisable as a soldier or a Marine. He looked so sharp in his immaculately tailored business suit, scratched old wrap around glasses replaced with sleek silver frames and highly polished lenses.

'I have a confession to make.' Aloysius grinned, slapping Mother between the shoulders when she choked on her beer.

'I hate it when people say that.' Mother groused, wiping her mouth and glaring at Knight for a moment. 'Go on Cub, what's on your mind?'

'Well, you already know that I've got serious money to back me up. I earned something like 55 million during that hunt that brought us together but that's only a tiny fraction of what I'm actually worth. My grandparents on both sides were money smart and very entrepreneurial. Thankfully, my parents inherited the money savvy of their parents and didn't splurge the millions of dollars that they got when my grandparents died. My mom died when I was young, leaving me with two third of her estate and giving the rest to dad. Dad used her gift to start a business across America, basing it in Portland and spreading it out. By the time he died, ten years ago now, he'd spread the business to every capital in mainland US and had plans to spread to Alaska and Hawaii. I've been using the dual inheritance from my parents to continue the business, building on what my dad created and creating something incredible.' Aloysius explained, draining his beer and setting the bottle aside.

'So just how much are you worth…or shouldn't I ask?' Shane grinned, knocking shoulders with Aloysius lightly.

'You probably shouldn't ask.' Aloysius shrugged, getting to his feet and turning to look down the street. 'I will say this much…enjoy your new toys.'

Almost on cue, four shining new cars came up the street, three moving to park on the curb as the fourth turned and smoothly backed into the driveway beside Knight. Together, these four cars represented a small fortune. First there was a shining red Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, then a sleek blue Dodge Challenger SRT-8 and finally a sparkling white Ford Mustang GT. In the driveway, powerful engine idling calmly sat an absolutely stunning dark blue Bentley, outshining the other three gleaming cars with expense and luxury.

Doors opening, the hired drivers stepped out of the three beautiful muscle cars and approached the house, keys in hand. They were all wearing immaculate black suits, hair groomed to perfection and clean shaven. One was blonde, tall and lithe as he stood on the lawn. The other two were brunettes, one taller than the other.

Standing back, Aloysius nodded slowly and smiled, giving his blessing for the hand over. Stepping forward, the blonde took a knee and pressed his keys into Mother's lax hand. Moving up beside their fellow driver, the taller brunette handed Shane his keys as the shorter one shook Buck's hand and passed over the keys.

'Are you fucking kidding me, Aloysius?' Mother asked, standing and walking towards the Camaro.

'Are these for keeps or what?' Shane asked, eyeing the Mustang as he stood.

'There's nothing wrong with my car.' Buck protested, staring at the Dodge in disbelief.

'No, I'm not kidding you Mother. Yes, they are for keeps Shane. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with your car, Buck. I'm just saying you could do better.' Aloysius replied, responding to all three with practised ease.

'Will there be anything else, Mr Knight?' the taller brunette asked, turning to face his employer as he spoke.

'My luggage is sitting in the living room, if you would be so kind.' Aloysius directed, most of his attention still on his friends. 'Geoffrey, you will drive the Maserati back to the garage. Take care of it. Any damage will be deducted from your pay.'

'Of course, Mr Knight.' the blonde replied, catching the door opener Knight threw his way and turning for the garage.

'Charles, you can help James with the luggage then the pair of you can meet the chase van.' Aloysius continued, heading to where Mother was waiting. 'And take exceptional care with Raven and Alley, I do not want them startled by the travel.'

'Yes Mr Knight.' Charles nodded, heading towards the house.

Dismissing the men from his thoughts, Aloysius wandered over to where his friends were examining their new cars and getting a feel for what they'd been given to enjoy. They looked right at home with their new toys, Aloysius had picked good matches for all of them.

'Fancy cars and personal staff, what else are you hiding?' Mother asked, climbing out and walking over to drape one arm around his shoulders.

'Many things, Mother. This is just a glimpse of the second life I live.' Aloysius shrugged, glancing over to check that his staff was doing their jobs. 'Maybe one day I'll share but not right now.'

'So you're still planning on coming back in six months, right?' Shane asked, jogging over to join them, keys still in his hand.

'Hell yes. I can only take this lifestyle for a few months at a time. I might bail out and come back early, it all depends on what needs to be done.' Aloysius promised, not really sure he wanted to leave but he knew he had to.

'And you're serious about the cars?' Buck asked, still astounded he'd been given a car.

'Buck, if I can afford to own a Bentley and a Maserati, I can afford to give you a Dodge to keep for as long as you want. Maybe one day I'll get you something better but the Dodge suits you I think.' Aloysius chuckled, spotting the cat cage coming out and noting that James and Charles were carrying it together, careful not to jolt the cats around.

Gathering his patience for what was ahead, Aloysius led his friends over to the waiting Bentley and dismissed the two brunettes with a wave. Nodding sharply, the pair headed for the curb as a white van pulled up. They climbed in the back and the van peeled out, disappearing back down the street.

'Six months will fly past, you'll see. I'll call when I can, just to let you know how things are going and if I'm planning on coming back early. If you need to reach me, call me here.' Aloysius sighed, handing each of his friends a slip of paper with two phone numbers.

'Be safe Cub.' Mother nodded, wrapping him up in a big bear hug.

'I'm more worried about you, Mother. The most dangerous thing I have to deal with now is pompous gasbags that call themselves board members.' Aloysius snorted, landing back on his feet and adjusting his tie.

'Sounds like fun.' Shane teased, shaking Knight's hand and reaching up to straighten the two pins on his lapel. It was good to see the next-of-kin lapel pin back where it belonged but Shane was a little surprised to see Aloysius was actually wearing his Medal of Honour pin as well.

'With this on my side, I'll soon whip them into line again.' Aloysius shrugged, absently brushing his thumb over the blue rosette pin. 'They won't dare disrespect the man who saved the President's life. They might be pompous bastards but they know respect.'

'Take care, Aloysius. We'll handle things here until you get back.' Buck grinned, clasping Knight's hand firmly.

'I have no doubt of that Buck. Keep your chin up, we're a team and always will be.' Aloysius replied, drawing him into a quick hug before stepping back.

Nodding to the older man standing beside the open rear door of the Bentley, Aloysius slipped inside and settled back into the pure comfort of the pale seats, fingers absently stroking the soft leather. The door closed and he hit the button for the window, shooting his friends a smile as his driver slipped in behind the wheel again.

'Semper Fi, my friends.' he called, laughing when they responded with a triumphant ooh-rah. 'Let's go Christopher, there's much to be done.'

'Understood Sir.' the older man nodded, pulling onto the street and heading back towards the entrance. 'Where to Sir?'

'Take me to my apartment, Christopher. I have a few things to pick up first.' Aloysius directed, folding down one of the mirrors and checking for Geoffrey.

'Very well, Sir.'

'Christopher, how many times to we have to go over this? If you're not comfortable calling my Mr Knight like all the other staff, I will accept Captain or Gunny.' Aloysius sighed, sinking back into the soft upholstery and relaxing. 'I would prefer Gunny, I left my commission behind years ago.'

'Sorry Gunny Knight, I am slightly out of practise. It has been years since you last called upon my services.' Christopher replied, smiling softly as he watched Aloysius relax.

'Yeah, sorry about that. The last eight years have been absolutely insane.' Aloysius nodded, sticking his fingers into the cat carrier and stroking whichever cat was closest.

'You don't need to explain, Gunny. We saw the papers and heard all the stories about your heroic actions.' Christopher smiled, turning onto the causeway leading off the island.

'That's only part of it, Christopher. I've spent the last two years removing enemy infiltrators from the Marines.' Aloysius shrugged, folding down the small table in front of him and opening the briefcase that had been placed in easy reach for him.

Starting on the paperwork that had been waiting for his attention, Aloysius put aside his military mindset and turned instead to his understanding of business and the responsibilities he'd been mostly ignoring. So few people realised that he ran one of the largest military focused not-for-profit organisations in the country. That suited Knight just perfectly, he didn't want the world to know he was running the organisation, his life was complicated enough as it was.

Glancing up when the car stopped, Aloysius lowered the rear window and flashed his ID, stunning the Sergeant on duty. Returning the offered salute, Aloysius closed the window and settled back, tucking his military ID inside his jacket again.

'Would you care for some music, Gunny?' Christopher asked, remembering previous times he'd been called to drive Aloysius around.

'Something country would be nice.' Aloysius nodded, going back to the reports he'd been sent.

Relaxing as Christopher turned on the inbuilt music player and started a country play list, Aloysius sang along quietly, making notes about different things he would need to deal with once he got back to work.

'Lord there'll never be another place in this world I'll call home. No, there'll never be another place in this world that I'll call home.' thinking about those words, Aloysius smiled. For him, there would never be another place to call home except for Parris Island now. He was home and nothing would tear him away again.


	17. Epilogue

Getting through his six months and coming back to Parris Island, Aloysius was struck by a sense of things changing for the better. People said war was hell but he knew different. Combat was easy and natural for him. Running a not-for-profit organisation across the nation was truly hell. So much hell in fact that he'd left his staff at the airport and flown back to South Carolina as an ordinary man.

Driving a fairly ordinary Jeep Cherokee onto the base, he headed for his home and smiled at the sight of his friends waiting on the porch for him. Pulling into the driveway, he climbed down and approached them at a run.

'I'm home at last.' he called, practically disappearing into the welcoming arms of his real home - the friends that cared about him despite his faults and were always there for him.

~#~#~#~#~#~

~#~#~#~#~

~#~#~#~

AN: If you want to know more about Aloysius' not-for-profit organisation, stay tuned for part two of this series - A New Dawn. It will focus on his six months away from the Corps and all the good he's trying to do for the world. Yeah, I know there was a lot of time skipping in this story but I was starting to lose the idea and wanted to get it finished before starting on the second half. I apologise for that and might go back to write more chapters for this if the muse bites.


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